Picture this: It’s the year 2035. Tom, a new apprentice in AI-driven robotics, is learning to repair the latest generation of autonomous drones. His journey starts with a digital twin—a virtual mentor that understands exactly how he learns best—but the experience isn’t just automated. Tom’s progress is guided by human specialists who step in to offer insight, creativity, and wisdom when needed. His digital twin handles the routine, technical drills, but it’s the human touch—mentors sharing their lived experience—that pushes Tom to innovate and think beyond the basics.

This blend of technology and human guidance is at the heart of the future apprenticeship model. As automation continues to handle repetitive tasks, humans will focus on specialisation, where creativity and nuanced decision-making come into play. Apprenticeships, then, are poised to make a comeback—but not in the way we’ve seen before.

Why Should We Care?

Here’s the reality. By 2025, 50% of all employees will need to be reskilled due to automation, according to the World Economic Forum. What kind of skills will matter? It’s not just about technical know-how. Creativity, analytical thinking, and problem-solving—all human-centric skills—will be in high demand. By 2030, 375 million workers may need to switch roles altogether due to automation’s impact on their industries. This is where apprenticeships can step in as a crucial model for learning both technical and human skills.

The apprenticeship model isn’t just a return to hands-on learning; it’s an adaptation to the future. In a world where technology often outpaces formal education, apprenticeships—particularly when blending tech-driven and human-guided learning—are key to preparing a skilled and adaptable workforce.

Key Points:

• 📚 Historical Precedent: Apprenticeships were once the standard for passing down specialised skills. In a post-automation world, this model is being reinvented for both tech and human-centric roles.
• 🤖 Tech Specialisation: The rapid pace of innovation in fields like AI and robotics requires real-time learning that formal classrooms struggle to keep up with, but human mentors will still play a crucial role.
• 🤝 Human-Centric Roles: Many industries—healthcare, design, hospitality—depend on human touch and creativity, which apprenticeships can foster alongside technical learning.

Blended Learning in a Tech-Driven World

Let’s start by addressing how technology and humans can collaborate to guide learning. In many industries, apprenticeships will rely on digital twins and AI-driven tools to handle routine training tasks. In an apprenticeship to become an AI engineer, for example, the digital twin might guide the learner through repetitive coding exercises. But when it comes to understanding the nuances of ethics in AI, a human mentor would step in to offer context, advice, and real-world scenarios where judgment is needed.

It’s this blend—routine tasks handled by tech and human ingenuity filling in the gaps—that creates a balanced learning environment. The digital twin acts as a conductor, orchestrating learning by seamlessly integrating tech, human input, and mentorship, crafting a personalised path for each learner.

Beyond Technology: Human-Centric Apprenticeships

It’s not just about tech skills. Human-centric industries—where empathy, intuition, and creativity are key—will also benefit from this blended learning approach.

Healthcare is a prime example. Imagine a nurse’s training pathway: a digital twin could help them master routine tasks like taking vitals or managing data, while human mentors would guide them through complex, high-stakes decision-making or the art of bedside manner.

Similarly, in fields like craftsmanship or culinary arts, there’s a blend of technical skill (which can be honed through digital simulations) and human creativity (which can only be nurtured through real-world experience and mentorship). Automation may handle the routine, but it’s the human aspect that gives these professions their soul.

The Evolution of Learning: Enter the Digital Twin

This concept of the digital twin as a 24-hour mentor revolutionises how apprenticeships will function. The twin learns how you learn—tailoring your experience, guiding you through technical drills, and assessing your progress.

But this isn’t just about mindless repetition. When you hit a complex problem or need inspiration, a human mentor steps in, offering insights, sharing wisdom, and helping you develop the intuition needed for success.

What makes this model truly powerful is that the digital twin doesn’t just guide your learning—it audits and records everything.

From the moment you start, your digital twin tracks your achievements, providing statutory evidence of skills acquired, tasks completed, and qualifications or mastery achieved. This way, businesses and institutions have a verified, clear record of your progress, making it easier to prove your competencies in the workplace.

Consider an apprentice jeweller using augmented reality (AR) to practise cutting a virtual diamond. The digital twin tracks their precision, repetition, and progress. When it’s time to move to real-world diamonds, a human expert joins the process, sharing the craft’s subtleties that can’t be learned through simulations alone. Once completed, the twin can provide documented proof of the skills mastered and tasks achieved, streamlining the apprentice’s path to formal certification or mastery.

Decentralising Mastery

The beauty of this approach is that it’s not tied to one person or place. You could have a human mentor in one country, a digital twin facilitating your learning, and other mentors popping in globally as needed. The digital twin acts as an orchestrator, ensuring that you’re mastering skills from a variety of sources and verifying competency across formal and informal settings.

Different Learning Modalities for Different Learners

This blended approach to apprenticeships—combining digital efficiency with human wisdom—acknowledges that not every learner is the same.

Some learners thrive in structured environments, while others benefit from a more dynamic, experience-driven path.

Certain industries may lean more heavily on technical training, while others, like creative fields, will require more human intervention to foster originality and emotional intelligence.

This model offers flexibility and adaptability, which is crucial in preparing for the rapidly shifting demands of the global workforce.

Challenges and Considerations

As we move towards this blended learning model, challenges arise. Investing in technology infrastructure, creating industry partnerships, and ensuring quality control across global platforms will require foresight and planning.

But these challenges are opportunities to innovate—particularly in industries where apprenticeships haven’t yet caught on.

We’ll also need to find a balance between human oversight and AI-driven learning to ensure apprentices receive both technical and emotional skills development.

What’s Next for Apprenticeships?

1. Hybrid Learning Models: Combining digital and human guidance will allow apprentices to practise skills in controlled virtual environments and then transition to real-world applications with human mentorship.
2. Interdisciplinary Apprenticeships: Fields like AI in healthcare or robotics in design will benefit from apprenticeships that blend multiple disciplines.
3. Lifelong Learning: Apprenticeships won’t just be for entry-level workers. As automation continues to evolve, apprenticeships will become a valuable way to reskill or upskill workers at all stages of their careers.

Practical Advice for Businesses and Institutions

• Create Blended Apprenticeship Programs: Develop apprenticeship models that use digital twins for repetitive training but incorporate human guidance for creative and complex problem-solving.
• Embrace Digital Learning Tools: Use XR, MR, and AR technologies to create dynamic learning environments where apprentices can hone skills both virtually and in real-world settings.
• Foster Lifelong Apprenticeships: Tailor programs for continuous learning, not just for new hires but for employees at every career stage, ensuring they adapt to future demands.

Conclusion

In a world where automation is rapidly transforming industries, apprenticeships offer a pathway not just to survival, but to thriving in the future of work.

The fusion of technology and human wisdom is the key. As digital twins handle the technical aspects of training, human mentors can focus on nurturing creativity, critical thinking, and the intangible qualities that make us truly human.

This is no longer about rote learning or following outdated models. It’s about crafting a learning journey that is personalised, dynamic, and designed for the individual.

Apprenticeships, far from being a relic of the past, are a blueprint for the future—one where individuality, specialisation, and adaptability are paramount.

Now, the question becomes: Are we ready to embrace this shift?

The future won’t wait for us to catch up.

Industries that recognise the value of blended learning models and act now to implement apprenticeships will lead the way in cultivating the next generation of talent.

So, what will you do next?

• How is your industry preparing for the rise of automation? 
• Are you considering apprenticeships as a way to develop specialised skills and foster innovation? 
• What roles in your business could benefit from this human-tech partnership?

Let’s start a conversation. Comment below or share your thoughts—how do you see apprenticeships shaping the future of your workforce? Your insights could be the start of something transformative.

Podcast: Listen Live to Hong Kong 3’s Phil Whelan and I chat all things Apprenticeship and even a little bit about wombats (?!) 18 minutes 19 seconds

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About Morris Misel

Morris Misel is a global business futurist with 40 years of experience helping companies anticipate, make sense of, and find purpose in what lies ahead.

With a unique ability to imagine possibilities, Morris advises on the future of work, technology, and innovation, delivering keynotes, workshops, and consulting across 160 industries worldwide.

From AI to automation and beyond, he helps businesses navigate the complexities of tomorrow with actionable insights and strategic foresight.

Learn more at www.morrisfuturist.com.