A national cohort committed to expanding opportunity
The Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship (PAYA) is excited to announce the 2026–27 PAYA Youth Council cohort. Launched in 2023, the Youth Council is a youth leadership development initiative from PAYA that brings together current and former youth apprentices from around the country. They will build connections with other youth apprentices, provide feedback that shapes PAYA’s work, and create and lead projects to strengthen and expand youth apprenticeship.Â
Through a competitive application process, a committee of national apprenticeship experts, youth apprenticeship program leaders, social impact leaders, and Youth Council alumni selected 16 young people for the 2026–27 PAYA Youth Council cohort. These members bring a diverse set of experiences and perspectives to the Council. Council members represent 11 PAYA Network programs and nine states and Washington, DC. Members hail from big cities like New York and Los Angeles and rural communities like Harlowton, MT (pop. 955) and Todd, NC (pop. 2,141), and lots of places in between.Â
Youth Council members include current apprentices, many of whom are still in high school, as well as former apprentices who have graduated from their programs and are now pursuing college, careers, or both. They work in a host of different fields, including advanced manufacturing, architecture and construction, culinary arts, early childhood education, healthcare, information technology, insurance, project management, and technology/finance. Two members of this 2026–27 cohort also served on the 2025 Council, and 14 are new to the Council this year.Â
Despite these differences, members are united by a shared goal of helping other young people benefit from apprenticeship. As their profiles below indicate, many Council members are also eager to build relationships with other youth apprentices across the country and strengthen their advocacy and leadership skills.Â
The 2026 PAYA Youth Council will meet virtually over the next year, with an in-person convening in Washington, DC, in June 2027, where the Council will share its work with national leaders. Check back here for updates on their work, and get to know each Council member through their profiles below.
Hometown: Westminster, CO
PAYA Network Affiliation: CareerWise Colorado
Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ Grace: Grace is a former public affairs apprentice for Pinnacol Assurance. She’s currently a student at the University of Denver, where she’s studying finance and economics. Grace joined the Youth Council to share her experiences and ideas about youth apprenticeship with a community of peer leaders.
Hometown: Todd, NC
PAYA Network Affiliation: NC Business Committee for Education/ApprenticeshipNC
New America Larson: Larson is a current certified nursing assistant apprentice for UNC Health Appalachian. She studies biomedical sciences at East Tennessee State University, where she is a Quillen Honors Scholar. Larson plans to attend medical school after college. Larson joined the Youth Council to develop her leadership skills, collaborate with other young leaders, and create meaningful change in her community.
Hometown: Harlowton, MT
PAYA Network Affiliation: Reach Higher Montana
Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ Mikayla: Mikayla is a current certified nursing assistant youth apprentice at Vista Plains and a senior at Harlowton High School. Mikayla joined the Youth Council to gain leadership skills, meet other youth apprentices, and explore new opportunities.
Hometown: High Point, NC
PAYA Network Affiliation: ApprenticeshipNC
Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ Zach: Zach is a current project engineering apprentice for Ziehl-Abegg and a student at Guilford Technical Community College, where he’s studying advanced manufacturing. At Ziehl-Abegg, his work focuses on sales and customer application engineering. Zach joined the Youth Council to expand outreach on apprenticeship opportunities for young people nationwide.Â
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
PAYA Network Affiliation: CareerWise Colorado
Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ Van: Van is a current finance and actuary youth apprentice at Pinnacol Assurance. Van is also a student at the University of Denver, where he’s studying business analytics and finance. He hopes to pursue a career in financial analytics, preferably in the energy/environmental sustainability sector. Van wanted to join the Youth Council to help expand access to apprenticeship opportunities for those who don’t always see themselves qualified or represented. Van believes that youth should shape the future of youth apprenticeship, not just participate in it.
PAYA Network Affiliation: Better Youth Inc.
Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ Gabriela: Gabriela is currently a project management apprentice for Better Youth Inc. She’s a recent graduate of California State University, Los Angeles, where she majored in television, film, and media studies. Previously, Gabriela completed a project management pre-apprenticeship through Better Youth’s Real to Reel Global program. Gabriela joined the Youth Council because she felt it would be an amazing stepping stone for her personal and career development, allowing her to represent her apprenticeship and advocate for others.
Hometown: Washington, DC
PAYA Network Affiliation: CityWorks DC/CareerWise DC
Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ Maegan: Maegan is a former Project Coordinator youth apprentice at Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ and a full-time college student at Hampton University, where she’s studying political science. She has stayed on with Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ as a Junior Project Manager. Maegan joined the Youth Council to engage with youth across the country and raise awareness of the youth apprenticeship pathway. Maegan is a second-time Youth Council member.Â
Hometown: Arlington Heights, IL
PAYA Network Affiliation: Illinois High School District 214
Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ Gavin: Gavin is a former construction and manufacturing youth apprentice for Illinois High School District 214. He is currently a student at the American College of the Building Arts, where he’s studying architectural carpentry for historic preservation, and a maintenance carpenter with the Archdiocese of Chicago. Gavin joined the Youth Council to bring the apprenticeship opportunity he had to other high school students.
Hometown: New York, NY
PAYA Network Affiliation: CareerWise New York
Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ Chris: Chris is a former product design youth apprentice at Mastercard. He is currently a full-time student at Baruch College, studying business with a specialization in graphic design and a minor in psychology. Since completing his youth apprenticeship, Chris has stayed on with Mastercard as an associate product designer. Chris joined the Youth Council to help shape the future of youth apprenticeship programs so more young people can benefit from the opportunity. Chris is a founding Youth Council member, having served on the Council since the inaugural cohort in 2023–24.Â
Hometown: Summerville, SC
PAYA Network Affiliation: Charleston Regional Youth Apprenticeships
Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ Jada: Jada is a former baking apprentice for Halls Signature Events and a current student at Trident Technical College. Jada wanted to join the Youth Council to represent the other young people in her community. She sees her Council service as a chance to improve her public speaking, build confidence, and share ideas that could help others.Â
PAYA Network Affiliation: Howard County Public Schools/Apprenticeship Maryland Program
Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ Selena: Selena is a former childcare development apprentice at Building Kidz of Columbia. She is currently training to become an aide at Building Kidz and is a student at Howard County Community College.Â
Hometown: Washington, DC
PAYA Network Affiliation: CityWorks DC/CareerWise DC
Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ Freddie: Freddie is currently a business operations apprentice for Apprenticeships for America and is pursuing certifications in project management and data analysis. Freddie joined the Youth Council to be fully immersed in the youth apprenticeship space and to exchange wisdom and experiences with fellow youth apprentices. Â
Hometown: Middleton, WI
PAYA Network Affiliation: UW Health
Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ Abinav: Abinav is a certified nursing assistant youth apprentice at UW Health and a senior at Middleton High School. Abinav plans to stay in the field and attend nursing school after he graduates high school. Abinav joined the Youth Council to advocate for youth apprenticeships and build his leadership skills.Â
Hometown: Denver, CO
PAYA Network Affiliation: CareerWise Colorado
Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ Yodit: Yodit is currently an IT youth apprentice with Denver Public Schools and a senior at George Washington High School, where she participates in an early college engineering pathway. She plans to study finance or electrical engineering in college. Yodit joined the Youth Council to help raise awareness about apprenticeships and the lifelong opportunities they offer.
Hometown: Belleville, WI
PAYA Network Affiliation: UW Health
New America Leyna: Leyna is a current certified nursing assistant youth apprentice for UW Health and a senior at Belleville High School. Leyna plans to major in a healthcare-related field in college.Â
Hometown: New York, NY
PAYA Network Affiliation: CareerWise New York
Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ Micah: Micah is a former junior coder youth apprentice at JPMorgan Chase and a student at New York University, where he’s studying information systems management. He has stayed on with JPMorgan Chase as a software engineer. Micah joined the Youth Council to help others experience the life-changing opportunity of a youth apprenticeship.
Project Coordinator Youth Apprentice
