National Center for the Apprenticeship Degree (NCAD)

What National Center for the Apprenticeship Degree (NCAD) does

The National Center for the Apprenticeship Degree (NCAD) is a non-profit initiative launched by Reach University in 2024 and headquartered in Oakland, California, with a team of five. It serves as the national accelerator for Apprenticeship Degrees — job-embedded programs where students earn wages while pursuing an accredited degree — targeting higher education institutions, employers, and state agencies. NCAD explicitly frames the model as a solution to the 40+ million Americans with some college credit but no degree, the forced choice between employment and education, and employer labor shortages across sectors including healthcare, education, behavioral health, and technology.

NCAD's offerings span three product lines. The Apprenticeship Degree Network (ADNet) is a paid, cohort-based membership community at $995/year providing toolkits, monthly webinars, cohort collaboration, and complimentary registration for the annual domestic convening. Capacity Building Services is a phased, direct-service engagement model (Foundations, Implementation, Transformation) for institutions, systems, and employers, supplemented by A La Carte add-ons covering policy analysis/advocacy and financial modeling/sustainability. The International Convening for the Apprenticeship Degree (ICAD) is an annual gathering hosted at Oxford University's New College, with tiered registration pricing ($1,100 without lodging, $1,500 with dorm lodging). These services are sold directly to enterprise buyers through community-led engagement, not through a technology platform.

The business model is fundamentally a hybrid of low-recurring subscription revenue (ADNet membership), project-based professional services (capacity building), and event registration fees (ICAD). Revenue and funding are not disclosed. The organization is operationally embedded within Reach University, which provides infrastructure and brand credibility, and NCAD sits in a niche where it is positioned as the only dedicated national infrastructure provider for the Apprenticeship Degree model. Key reported outcomes include Michigan's Talent Together Year 1 results of 1,350+ teachers added to the educator workforce pipeline, and a stated national goal of 3 million Apprenticeship Degree enrollments by 2035.

Name

National Center for the Apprenticeship Degree (NCAD)

Legal name

Reach University

Website

https://ncad.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NCAD is a non-profit initiative of Reach University that accelerates the adoption of Apprenticeship Degrees through a paid membership network (ADNet), phased capacity-building services, and an annual international convening at Oxford, serving higher education institutions, employers, and state agencies across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Consulting / Apprenticeship Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Competency-Based Universities (CBE) (EDAHALAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

National/Institutional Accreditors (Career, Faith-Based, Distance, etc.) (EDADACAB)

Keywords

• Apprenticeship degree programs
• Workforce development consulting
• Higher education consulting
• Capacity building services
• Employer education partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. ADNet Membership: Annual membership fees for access to the Apprenticeship Degree Network, including toolkits, training, webinars, and community support.
2. Annual Convening (ICAD): Registration fees for the International Convening for the Apprenticeship Degree held at Oxford University, with tiered pricing for lodging options.
3. Capacity Building Services: Direct-service technical assistance packages for institutions, systems, and employers through phased engagement (Foundations, Implementation, Transformation phases).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NCAD is the national accelerator for Apprenticeship Degrees, providing strategy, tools, and capacity-building services to colleges, employers, and state agencies to design and scale job-embedded degree programs. Its core offerings include the ADNet paid membership community, a phased capacity-building service model (Foundations, Implementation, Transformation) for institutions, and the annual International Convening for the Apprenticeship Degree (ICAD) held at Oxford University, supplemented by à la carte services for policy analysis and financial modeling.

Product overview

NCAD offers a suite of services centered around the Apprenticeship Degree model—a job-embedded degree where students earn wages while pursuing their degree. The core offerings include ADNet (a paid membership network providing toolkits, training, webinars, and a community of practice), Capacity Building Services (a three-phase model: Foundations, Implementation, and Transformation for developing and scaling Apprenticeship Degree programs), ICAD (an annual international convening at Oxford University), and A La Carte Services (supplementary add-ons for policy analysis, advocacy, and financial modeling). Annual ADNet membership is $995 with scholarship opportunities available.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ADNet (Apprenticeship Degree Network) ADNet is NCAD's paid annual membership network providing a cohort-based community of practice for institutions leading Apprenticeship Degree innovation. Members receive toolkits, playbooks, training, monthly webinars, and access to the Annual ADNet Convening (complimentary domestic registration). Annual membership is priced at $995, with scholarship opportunities available for select members.
• Capacity Building Services Capacity Building Services is a phased, high-impact direct-service engagement model supporting institutions, systems, and employers through every stage of Apprenticeship Degree development and deployment. The service is structured into three phases: Foundations (early exploration and pilot planning), Implementation (preparing to launch), and Transformation (scaling across multiple programs or sectors).
• ICAD (International Convening for the Apprenticeship Degree) ICAD is an annual global gathering held at Oxford University that convenes experts, practitioners, thought leaders, educators, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to advance Apprenticeship Degrees. Registration is offered at two tiers: $1,100 USD / £850 GBP without lodging, and $1,500 USD / £1,160 GBP with dorm-style accommodations at New College. The event includes general sessions, materials, meals, optional site visits, and networking events.
• A La Carte Services A La Carte Services are advanced, add-on capacity-building services that supplement any capacity-building package or can be engaged separately. They include Policy Analysis & Advocacy (policy alignment, accreditation consultation, legislative strategy) and Financial Modeling & Sustainability (braided funding, employer cost-sharing, multi-source funding strategies).

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, significant and flagship.

• Reach UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReach University is the parent organization that launched NCAD in 2024. NCAD is described as 'an initiative of Reach University' and serves as the national accelerator for Apprenticeship Degrees. Reach University provides institutional knowledge and operational infrastructure for NCAD's activities.
• CareerWise ColoradosignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with CareerWise Colorado through an Opportunity Now grant in Colorado. Collaboration focused on building an exceptional apprenticeship degree program with NCAD providing support and insight.
• Michigan Educator Workforce Initiative (Talent Together)significantStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide initiative with over 1,350 teachers added to the educator workforce pipeline. NCAD team enabled the outcomes described as 'truly exciting' with a real pipeline for apprentices in Michigan.
• Tennessee Grow Your Own Center (University of Tennessee System)significantStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide educator pathway initiative through the University of Tennessee System. ADNet described as 'welcoming, solutions-oriented, and focused on creating opportunity for all.'
• University of Oxford (New College)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the International Convening for the Apprenticeship Degree (ICAD). The 2026 convening will be held at Oxford University's New College, Holywell Street, Oxford, OX1 3BN, United Kingdom. This is NCAD's flagship annual event.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Multiverse: UK-based apprenticeship platform working with employers to design and deliver professional apprenticeships. Comparable because it operates the apprenticeship-as-talent-pipeline model in a different geography, providing a benchmark for how the model can scale outside the U.S.

Direct peers

• CareerWise Colorado: Youth apprenticeship intermediary that designs and manages apprenticeship programs across Colorado. Directly comparable because it operates apprenticeship programs end-to-end and partners with NCAD through the Opportunity Now grant in Colorado.
• Reach University: Parent organization and operator of NCAD; Reach University itself deploys Apprenticeship Degrees and provides the operational infrastructure for NCAD. Directly comparable because it shares leadership, mission, and the apprenticeship-degree delivery model.
• InStride: Education benefits platform focused on employer-funded apprenticeship and degree pathways. Directly comparable because it sells apprenticeship-as-a-benefit to employers - the same employer customer segment NCAD targets - and competes for the same institutional buyers.

Others

• American Association of Community Colleges: National membership association for community colleges, many of which are NCAD's primary customers (e.g., Bunker Hill Community College, Colorado Mountain College). Comparable as an ecosystem convener and capacity builder for the same institutional base.

Emerging players

• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free skilled trades training in IT and adjacent fields, often partnering with employers for talent pipelines. Comparable because it addresses the same employer labor-shortage and adult-learner pathways that apprenticeship-degree programs serve.
• Year Up: Workforce development nonprofit connecting young adults to corporate careers through training and apprenticeship-style programs. Comparable because it operates at the intersection of employer demand, adult learners, and skill-based pathways - the same problem space as apprenticeship degrees.
• Opportunity@Work: Nonprofit focused on the 'STARs' workforce (some college, no degree) - exactly the 40M+ population NCAD cites as its target market. Comparable because both organizations are building infrastructure around the same addressable population.

Broad incumbents

• Western Governors University: Large, established online competency-based university serving working adults. Comparable as the most prominent U.S. CBE institution - the same educational category in which Apprenticeship Degrees are positioned - and a potential institutional model NCAD promotes.
• Guild Education: Larger, well-funded education benefits company acquired by Gusto; offers employer-sponsored degree and skill programs. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the employer-funded education pathway space where NCAD's apprenticeship-degree model competes for the same employer relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-national-center-for-the-apprenticeship-degree

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Center for the Apprenticeship Degree (NCAD)