D.C. roundtable highlights employer-led apprenticeships and regionwide hiring partnerships

The District of Columbia Council's Committee on Executive Administration and Labor convened a public roundtable April 20 to examine the city’s job-training ecosystem and to spotlight employer-led apprenticeships and sector partnerships as a major pipeline into the workforce.

Chairperson Anita Bonds opened the session by saying the event’s purpose was “to examine our jobs training ego system to highlight the high performing workforce development programs in the region, while also identifying those programs and initiatives in need of improvement.” The discussion brought together training providers, employers and city agencies to describe successful employer-led models and remaining gaps.

Why it matters: multiple panelists described on-the-job apprenticeship models that allow residents without four‑year degrees to earn and learn in technology and health-care roles, enter stable employment and advance. Employers described hiring apprentices directly and providing mentorship; training intermediaries said those models produced high placement and promotion rates.

What panelists said and demonstrated - Employer-led apprenticeships. Ximena Yates, CEO and co‑founder of Build Within, described partnerships that create employer-led registered apprenticeships in tech roles, including AI/data work and prompt engineering. “Today, about 70% of our graduates are in professional roles with upward mobility,” Yates said of graduates from Build Within partnerships. - Company hires and examples. Shubh Dev Gupta, founder of PredictHealth, said PredictHealth has hired apprentices sourced through Build Within and the DC Department of Employment Services and promoted several into advanced roles. George Washington University described hiring apprentices from Build Within who later took full‑time jobs and internal leadership roles. - Industry and public‑private sector scale. Justin Palmer of the D.C. Hospital Association described the DC Health Care Workforce Partnership and the DC Alliance for Healthcare Careers, which he said received a first‑year District investment of $2,000,000 to pilot employer‑aligned apprenticeships and career bridges such as CNA→PCT and medical records→CMA pathways.

Barriers and supports Panelists emphasized that apprenticeships and short, industry‑aligned programs are more effective when trainees receive wraparound supports. Don Gatewood, chief workforce development officer at So Others Might Eat, urged stipends and supports, saying many trainees “struggle with financial insecurity, making it difficult to focus on training without income support.” Jubilee Jobs and SUM described how transportation vouchers, food, clothing and short paid internships improved retention and placement.

Capacity and outcomes Several providers said demand outstrips capacity. Christian Noble and Jerry Conohia of Community College Preparatory Academy described a new 41,000‑square‑foot facility and current enrollment of 666 students with capacity for roughly 1,200. Allison Kokonas Lisonbee (Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School) said the school serves more than 2,100 adult learners and that recent grants are expanding nurse‑aide training.

What city agencies are doing Department of Employment Services Director Morris Hughes and Workforce Investment Council Executive Director Drew Hubbard described multiple city programs that partner with employers, including the Infrastructure Academy, DC Alliance for Healthcare Careers, the College Fellowship and apprenticeship approvals. Hubbard said the WIC is modernizing its eligible training provider process and rolling out CareerADDC to streamline provider applications and collect quarterly performance outcomes.

Ending Speakers urged replication of employer‑led models and faster sharing of employment outcomes so businesses can reliably identify effective providers. Councilmember Anita Bonds requested written testimony for the record and closed the roundtable after public and government witness testimony and a short break.