The Department of Labor awarded Next Steps at Vanderbilt University a $2,324,851 grant to expand its innovative registered apprenticeship offerings. Next Steps, a four-year nondegree certificate program for neurodiverse students that is based in Peabody College of education and human development, will use the funding to enhance existing apprenticeships and develop new ones across several high-demand industries.
鈥淣ext Steps at Vanderbilt University has been a pioneer for inclusive postsecondary education in Tennessee and beyond,鈥� said Camilla P. Benbow, Patricia and Rodes Hart Dean of Education and Human Development. 鈥淲e are eager to build on its success and serve students with the new apprenticeship opportunities this grant will make possible.鈥�
The grant will enable the program to extend its efforts to embed apprenticeships into its curriculum, offering more structured and competency-based learning experiences for students in the program.
鈥淚n the United States, only 16 percent of adults with intellectual disability are employed,鈥� said Meghan Burke, professor of special education, who serves as the grant鈥檚 principal investigator. 鈥淎pprenticeships offer an exceptional model for neurodiverse learners to pursue meaningful employment, earning a credential that is nationally recognized along the way.鈥�
The program鈥檚 initial success with an early childhood education apprenticeship鈥攄eveloped in collaboration with , and the 鈥攕et the stage for this larger grant. The early childhood education apprenticeship, which began in 2021, was the first of its kind in the country. 鈥淲e had to think outside the box since there was no precedent to turn to,鈥� said Ariana Amaya, director of the Next Steps at Vanderbilt program. 鈥淢egan Macon, director of career development and co-investigator on the grant, strategically and creatively developed a pathway in collaboration within Peabody College and with our external partners.鈥�
Currently, Next Steps at Vanderbilt boasts a 98 percent employment rate for its graduates. With the new grant, the program will expand its credentialing opportunities through additional apprenticeship pathways in the hospitality, education, IT and care economy sectors.
鈥淥ur employer partners will serve as expert mentors within their industries, helping to develop apprenticeships that meet both the needs of adults with disabilities and the employers,鈥� said Lauren Bethune-Dix, director of academics and another co-investigator. This approach has already proven effective in addressing the shortage of qualified early childhood educators in Tennessee.
The award is part of the federal government鈥檚 $244 million investment to modernize and diversify the nation鈥檚 . Next Steps at Vanderbilt serves as a model to influence best practices for similar programs across the country. 鈥淲e have shared our apprenticeship program鈥檚 success in and at numerous conferences,鈥� Amaya said. 鈥淥verwhelmingly, attendees at these conferences have shown enthusiasm and eagerness to replicate our initial apprenticeship model.鈥�
The grant will also fund the creation of a multimodal resource toolkit, including video modules created by a . The modules will explain each apprenticeship and feature success stories from enrolled apprentices and will be distributed through , the national coordinating center for inclusive higher education.
The success of the grant application was also due to extensive support from Vanderbilt鈥檚 team and the . 鈥淭his was our first Department of Labor grant application, and the process required a high level of detail and consideration,鈥� Burke said. 鈥淚t was a team effort as we collectively reviewed the grant instructions together.鈥�
Looking ahead, Next Steps at Vanderbilt University is poised to set a national example of how opportunities for apprenticeships can and should be extended to neurodiverse adults, driving significant improvements in employment outcomes for adults with intellectual disability.
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