model that prepares workers for the skill demands of particular occupations and employers while, at the same time, providing the workers with recognized, portable credentials, and wages while in training. (3) The registered apprenticeship program model has been successful in skilled trade industries, including construction and manufacturing, as well as service industries, such as health care, and holds great potential for expansion into other industries. (4) Registered apprenticeships are becoming increasingly innovative and diverse in their designs, partnerships, timeframes, and use of emerging concepts such as competency-based learning, and will continue to evolve to meet emerging skill requirements, while maintaining high standards and quality. (5) Registered apprenticeship programs are an essential element of an effective workforce development system and help individuals attain a recognized postsecondary credential, contributing to their personal economic sustainability. (6) According to a report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, by 2020 the United States will face a shortage of 5,000,000 workers with recognized postsecondary credentials. (7) According to a 2012 report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, youth employment in the United States has reached the lowest point since World War II. More than 6,000,000 young people ages 16 through 24 are disconnected from school and work. (8) A 2012 evaluation of registered apprenticeship programs in 10 States by Mathematica Policy Research found that— (A) individuals who completed registered apprenticeship programs earned over $240,000 more over their careers than individuals not participating in such apprenticeship programs