Massachusetts: State of the State

ESAC State Report 2026 – Massachusetts

Massachusetts Division of Apprentice Standards

Location: Boston, MA

Staffing: 22 Full-Time Employees

• Director / Deputy Director / General Counsel

• Administrative Coordinators (2)

• Grants Management Specialists (2)

• Quality Assurance Specialists (5)

• Office Operations (4)

• Apprenticeship Liaisons (6)

Overview:

The Massachusetts Division of Apprentice Standards (DAS) is continuing to scale Registered Apprenticeship as

a central pillar of the Commonwealth’s workforce strategy. In 2025, Massachusetts made significant progress

by modernizing its systems, expanding apprenticeship programs into emerging and high-growth industries, and

deepening employer engagement across the state.

In January 2026, Governor Maura Healey reinforced this commitment by announcing an ambitious statewide

goal: to register 100,000 new apprentices over the next decade. This initiative positions registered

apprenticeship as a cornerstone of Massachusetts’ long-term workforce development efforts.

Areas for continued expansion include Early Childhood Education (ECE) and K–12 Teacher Apprenticeship

programs, Healthcare and Behavioral Health, Biotechnology, Advanced Manufacturing and Clean Energy, as

well as emerging fields like Artificial Intelligence.

Key Initiatives:

• Continued expansion supported by MA GROW (Grants for Registered Apprenticeship Opportunities in

Workforce) and U.S. Department of Labor State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula (SAEF) funding,

including a $5 million SAEF competitive award to support Early Childhood Educator (ECE)

apprenticeships.

• For tax year 2025, DAS approved $988,800 in Registered Apprenticeship Tax Credits to 50 employers

supporting 206 apprentices—more than doubling participation compared to prior years.

• Massachusetts celebrated a dynamic and impactful National Apprenticeship Week, with DAS staff

actively engaging in events across the Commonwealth, highlighting the strength and reach of

apprenticeship programs statewide.

• Implementation of a new Salesforce-based apprenticeship registration and tracking system, launched in

Summer 2025, to enhance efficiency, data management, and user experience.

Statistics FY 2025:

• Number of Pre-Apprentices/Apprentices: 348/11,379 (11,727 total)

• Number of New Apprentices: 3,561

• Number of Completed Apprentices: 1,847

• Number of Sponsors/Programs: 669 RAP sponsors with 1,057 programs

• Number New Sponsors/Programs Added (FY’25): 105

State Partnerships:

• DAS works closely with regulatory, licensing, and certifying boards to ensure the development of safe,

high-quality, and industry-aligned Registered Apprenticeship programs. These efforts are

complemented by strong collaboration with sector-based and industry partners across the

Commonwealth.• DAS has expanded its reach by further embedding apprenticeship within the state’s workforce

development system, in partnership with the Department of Career Services / MassHire Career Centers

and Workforce Development Boards.