Half of Philadelphia’s high school graduates opt out of college. Can pre-apprenticeships help them find jobs?

Half of Philadelphia’s high school graduates in the Class of 2025 did not matriculate to college, prompting a statewide effort to expand pre-apprenticeship programs. These programs, like one launched by the nonprofit We Love Philly, aim to connect students and recent graduates to job training and career pathways without requiring a college degree. Governor Josh Shapiro has proposed doubling state funding for such programs to $7 million in the next fiscal year.