- Do employers hire students?
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Yes. Apprentices are employees, and employers are responsible for hiring them and paying wages and benefits, if eligible.
The university received legislative funding to expand workplace-based learning opportunities and strengthen employer partnerships. Metro State developed apprenticeship pilots—paid experiential learning opportunities—with area employers in high demand fields: nursing (Children’s Minnesota), mental health practitioner (Touchstone and Fraser), accounting (KPMG), and cybersecurity (Securian). Our first cohort launched in Spring 2025 with these partners, and the School of Urban Education started their cohort fall 2025 with Minneapolis Public Schools. Feedback from employer partners has been overwhelmingly positive and that this is a compelling model that has enormous potential to address their workforce needs. The work continues as we partner with returning employers such as Touchstone, Securian, Children’s Minnesota, along with new partners including SpringPath Mental Health, Inkit, Heritage Bank, and Howden Re recruiting our 2nd cohort.
The goal of the partnership for Metro State Apprenticeship is to provide students with a career pathway into the industries and professions in their fields of study, enabling them to secure sustainable, living-wage employment, while also supporting employers in diversifying and strengthening their talent pipelines through direct pathways to meet regional workforce needs.
Most of ours are not registered apprenticeships through the Minnesota Department of Labor; instead we developed our own hybrid:
they are longer than internships, typically 6 months up to a year with students/apprentices employed by employer partners
grant funds cover students’ tuition (12 credits + fees), subject to availability
all parties aim for the experience to end with a permanent position, but this cannot be guaranteed.
Each apprenticeship is a co-designed collaboration with Metro State and the employer partner, providing exposure and hands-on learning experiences to students.
New cohorts generally start at the beginning of the Fall or Spring semester.
Here is an example of a timeline for Spring cohort:
August
Career Center and Employer planning meeting
September
Career Center and Employer planning meeting and MOU
Metro Diversity Networking and Job Fair
October
Employer’s apprenticeship posting opens for applications
Recruitment of students
December
Employer extends offers for hire
Early December – Last day of fall semester
End of December – Winter Holiday (buildings closed or limited services)
January
Apprenticeships begin
Faculty/Student/Employer Connects
Early January – Winter Holiday (buildings closed or limited services)
Early January – First day of spring semester
February
Metro/Employer check-in meeting
Faculty/Student/Employer connects
March
Faculty/Student/Employer connects
April
Faculty/Student/Employer connects
Metro/Employer check-in meeting
Apprenticeships evaluation surveys
May
Apprenticeships evaluation report
Faculty/Student/Employer connects
Early May – Last day of spring semester
June
Metro/Employer check-in meeting
Apprenticeships continue based on employer’s program
Dates are approximate and may vary by employer or academic calendar.
If you are interested in learning more, submit your inquiry, and you will be contacted to schedule a call. Employer Partner Apprenticeship Inquiry – Fill out form
Yes. Apprentices are employees, and employers are responsible for hiring them and paying wages and benefits, if eligible.
Yes. Our apprenticeship program is available only to current Metro State students.
Employers must offer at least one position. Employers may hire as many apprentices as appropriate for their organization.
Employers determine acceptable majors, student level (e.g., sophomore, junior, senior, graduate), and degree level (bachelor’s or master’s). Consultation with our team occurs during the planning stage. The list of Metro State’s programs and majors can be found here.
Apprenticeships are generally designed to last between six months to one year.
Apprenticeship position design is at the employer’s discretion and should align with organizational needs and talent pipeline goals.
However, we recommend entry-level responsibilities that provide hands-on experience, exposure to company culture, and industry-relevant skills. Our team consults with employers throughout this process.
Additional programming may include on-the-job training (OJT), such as:
Job shadowing
Mentorship
Cohort-based training
Assignments-based project evaluation
Discussion-based training
There is no program-mandated minimum pay rate. Compensation is determined by the employer based on company pay structures, industry standards and competitiveness, and applicable federal, state, and local wage and labor laws.
More information coming soon.
Employers create and manage their own job postings and recruitment process (such as screening applications, interviewing students, etc.), either through their applicant tracking system (ATS) and/or the free Handshake platform.
Postings are shared with faculty in targeted programs and promoted at job fairs.
We strongly encourage employers to use the free Handshake platform to best reach Metro State students.
No. Hiring after the apprenticeship is at the employer’s discretion, and accepting offer is at the student’s decision.
While the goal of the program is to create a direct talent pipeline that results in an offer at the end of the apprenticeship, any offer of employment is mutually determined by the employer and the student.
If the apprenticeship does not work for either the employer or the student, both parties should follow their company policies and applicable employment practices and laws.
Tuition support from Metro State University may be available depending on funding availability and is not guaranteed.
Employers are encouraged to offer tuition reimbursement, assistance, or scholarships as an effective recruitment and retention incentive.
The partnership between Metro State University and employers is outlined in a good-faith Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
Metro State University, in partnership with [Employer] will launch the [Employer] [fields/positions] Pilot.
These are non-registered* [field of studies/industry] apprenticeships with [Employer]. As part of the apprenticeship, [Employer or Metro State – this clause is subject to funding availability] will provide funding up to [dollar amount] per student to cover tuition and fees for [fall, spring, summer] semesters.
Apprenticeship is an “earn while you learn” model and students are paid for on-the-job training while attending school for related instruction. The apprenticeship program design is flexible to align with [Employer]’s business needs and for program continuous improvement. Each apprentice will be hired and paid directly by [Employer] as a regular employee. A successful apprenticeship may lead directly to a permanent position at [Employer].
High level summary of some requirements include:
This will be a paid experience.
Opportunity is open exclusively to current Metro State students majoring in [list of majors].
Students will be hired as [Employer] employees, starting [list semesters and if possible for extension].
Students will participate in a regular Metro State Apprentice Roundtable to check in with their faculty contact or Career Center staff and each other for support, problem solving, and reflection.
As a [Employer] employee, students will follow their hiring, onboarding, training, and performance management policies and practices.
Students agree to allow their faculty contact or Career Center staff to contact [Employer] regarding work performance and to be interviewed regarding the program.
Students agree to collaborate with Career Center and faculty contact on program evaluation, which may include completing surveys, attending kick-off and celebration meetings.
[Employer] agrees to partner with Career Center and faculty contact on evaluation which may include completing surveys, providing feedback, attending check-in meetings, and sharing relevant data.
Next steps include:
[Employer]: The application deadline is [insert date]. Determine new hires for the pilot and send list to Metro State contacts by [insert date].
Metro State: Send students a letter of congratulations and invitation to scheduled school apprenticeship events and/or meetings.
Contacts:
[Employer] | [Contact information]
Metro State University | Susan Hang, Internship and Apprenticeship Coordinator
*Apprenticeships are not registered with the Minnesota Department of Labor.