Center for American Progress Action

Op-ed: How a federally-funded apprenticeship changed my life
Personal Story

Op-ed: How a federally-funded apprenticeship changed my life

Joshua Swindells, who dropped out of school as a teenager to care for his elderly parents, explains how a federally funded apprenticeship program allowed him to return to his education and gain valuable work experience in the information technology field. Joshua fears that proposals to cut federal workforce funding could harm young people such as him.

The Stories team at the Center for American Progress Action Fund works with storytellers who author op-eds about how policy impacts their lives. The team helps elevate their op-eds.

I know what it’s like to feel like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel—and I also know what it’s like when a glimmer of hope appears.

My family and I moved to North Carolina from California in the early 2000s. I went to school in Asheboro, and in 2016, I moved to Salisbury. I completed middle school that year, but dropped out because of the mounting pressure to help support my elderly parents’ health needs. They’re both disabled and needed my help.

The above excerpt was originally published in Cardinal & Pine. Click here to view the full article.

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Author

Joshua Swindells

Team

Digital Advocacy

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