Union-Led Apprenticeships Win Overwhelming Public Trust, New LaborStrong Survey Shows

NEW YORK–Nov. 13, 2025– The belief that college is the only secure route to the middle class is losing ground. According to the 2025 LaborStrong Apprenticeship Perceptions Index, Americans overwhelmingly back union-led apprenticeships as faster, more affordable and reliable pathways to financial independence. Ninety-three percent of respondents said union-supported programs prepare people for stable, long-term careers—trust levels that remain consistent across generations.

The survey of 1,000 working-age Americans, conducted in August 2025 by LaborStrong, an online initiative of MagnaCare, using the third-party platform Pollfish, revealed a rising expectation that apprenticeships be placed on equal footing with higher education. The findings reflect a national shift toward valuing job-ready skills, faster earnings and economic resilience over long-standing cultural norms alone.

Key findings from the report include:

• More than 40% of Americans say apprenticeships provide the most practical job skills, while fewer than one in 10 say the same of college.
• A majority (51%) identify apprenticeships as the clearest path to financial independence by age 25, more than five times higher than those who credit college.
• Confidence in results for union-led apprenticeships is nearly unanimous, with 93% saying they prepare people for stable, long-term careers.
• More than half (53%) say union-led models deliver stronger training than non-union programs, with six in 10 believing they make trade careers more accessible. 
• Seven in 10 want government funding of apprenticeships at the same level as colleges and universities. 
• Two-thirds (67%) expect union-led apprenticeships to grow in importance over the next 20 years.
• More than half (52%) believe apprenticeship careers are more recession-proof than college pathways, compared to just a small minority (12%) who say the reverse.
• Eight in 10 say they would feel proud if a close relative pursued a union-led apprenticeship instead of a college degree.
• Nearly two-thirds (63%) believe apprenticeships deserve more respect than they currently receive in society.

Americans are rethinking what it means for education to deliver real value. Rising tuition, debt burdens and a rapidly changing economy have emphasized the importance of skills that translate directly into career stability. Unlike many college graduates who struggle to find jobs aligned with their degrees, apprentices leave their programs with both specific skills and direct career opportunities.

These programs also provide targeted opportunities for groups such as women, veterans and underrepresented communities. Unions continue to invest heavily in these initiatives, backing apprenticeship programs that prepare participants for long-term success while paying them for their time and training. The dual benefit of income plus skill development sets apprenticeships apart as a resilient alternative to higher education’s debt-driven model.

“These results show what many of us in the labor movement have long known: union-led apprenticeships combine training, opportunity and protection in ways that make them uniquely valuable,” said Michelle Zettergren, President of Labor at MagnaCare. “Americans trust these programs because they provide real skills, real pay and real career paths. It’s important that funding remains strong so apprenticeships can continue to deliver opportunities for all, whether that’s young people, women or veterans, as a respected and effective alternative to traditional college.”

The 2025 LaborStrong Apprenticeship Perceptions Index reveals that Americans are not asking apprenticeships to replace college, but to stand beside it as an equally respected and supported pathway. Recognizing these routes with the same status and investment as higher education will ensure families have real choices that align with the outcomes they value most.

For the full results and additional insights, view the 2025 LaborStrong Apprenticeship Perceptions Index.

About MagnaCare

For more than three decades, MagnaCare has been providing trusted third-party administration (TPA) services to Labor Funds and self-insured organizations. Its wholly owned networks, full health plan management services, trust and welfare administration services, comprehensive in-house medical management, and leading outcomes-based casualty solutions offer the ultimate flexibility and customization that help self-insured organizations and Labor Funds control healthcare costs, improve health, and achieve exceptional value. MagnaCare is a division of Brighton Health Plan Solutions, LLC. Learn more at MagnaCare.com.

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