Meet GoSprout: the all-in-one platform powering the next generation of apprenticeships built to streamline, scale, and supercharge work-based learning. GoSprout is the engine behind the growing movement of 800,000+ U.S. apprentices by empowering them to gain skills, launch careers, and transform the future of work.

The platform was built with a clear understanding of the administrative complexities and regulatory burdens that often deter employers from launching Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs). GoSprout facilitates mentoring, real-time job alerts, and continuous feedback loops, which ensure apprentices are supported throughout their journey and employers stay informed at every step.

We sat down with Carlos Vazquez, a nationally recognized workforce leader and social entrepreneur, to learn more about GoSprout’s mission and the impact they’re making across the U.S.

What inspired you to create GoSprout, and how did your experience influence your focus on apprenticeships?

Carlos: I grew up in New York City and wanted to work in tech. As a first-generation college student, the path to a career in tech was anything but straightforward. Without mentorship or support, I struggled to navigate both school and work while juggling financial responsibilities. That experience opened my eyes to how inaccessible career pathways can be; especially for nontraditional students, working adults, and underserved communities.

I became deeply motivated to expand access to apprenticeships, an incredible model for hands-on learning and upward mobility that, despite its proven benefits, remains severely underutilized in the U.S. I knew we needed to modernize how apprenticeships are delivered and unlock their potential at scale.

That’s why I created GoSprout: a mobile-first apprenticeship platform that meets learners where they are, offering structured learning paths, real-time feedback, and milestone tracking. Today, GoSprout is a trusted partner for Fortune 500 companies, workforce organizations, and colleges nationwide—streamlining onboarding, supporting ongoing training, and helping institutions launch scalable, high-impact apprenticeship programs that actually work.

What sets GoSprout apart from other apprenticeships platforms?

Carlos: What sets GoSprout apart is that we’re not just building software. We’re reimagining apprenticeship as a system. As a former educator and lifelong workforce advocate, my vision is shaped by lived experience. I know what it’s like to navigate school, work, and financial pressure without clear guidance. I also know that apprenticeships work but only if we make them accessible, usable, and truly supportive.

Too many of the legacy tools in this space were built for compliance officers, not the learners, mentors, or employers who actually drive the experience. That’s why they often sit unused and clunky platforms with poor UX that haven’t moved the needle on retention or equity. Nationally, apprenticeship completion hovers around 30%, and it’s even lower for people of color. We knew that had to change.

GoSprout was designed to unlock access to this incredible model by modernizing it through automation, seamless onboarding, and real-time tracking that makes reporting and compliance effortless. But we didn’t stop at design, we built it to work with the real systems people already use. Our API-first architecture means GoSprout integrates easily with existing HR, payroll, and learning systems, so large employers, workforce boards, and colleges don’t have to rip and replace. They can simply plug in GoSprout and move forward with confidence.

And we’re not just focused on youth. We support apprentices and career-seekers of all ages, across industries. Whether it’s a 17-year-old exploring a first job or a 37-year-old retraining for a new career, GoSprout meets them and their support systems where they are.

Ultimately, we’re changing the narrative. GoSprout achieves retention rates near 82% which is more than double the national average by focusing on experience, accountability, and access. Apprentices deserve tools built for them, not just about them. That’s what makes GoSprout the next-generation workforce platform for employers, educators, and the communities they serve.

One of your core missions is to build equitable career pathways. What approach  helps you achieve that goal?

Carlos:  One of the core ways we build equitable career pathways at GoSprout is by starting early. From my work as founder of the nonprofit Miami EdTech, I’ve seen firsthand that early exposure to careers, especially in tech and emerging industries dramatically increases a student’s chances of long-term success. That insight shapes everything we do at GoSprout.

We believe equity starts with access and clarity. That’s why our platform doesn’t just manage registered apprenticeships. It connects the entire continuum, from pre-apprenticeship to full-time employment. By working closely with leaders in Miami-Dade County, we’ve helped design and support transparent, tangible pathways for young people, especially those from underserved communities. We’ve built GoSprout to be an end-to-end solution: a “work-based learning in a box” that makes it easy for schools, workforce boards, and employers to launch programs, track progress, and see real outcomes.

GoSprout removes barriers that traditionally prevent people from accessing these opportunities whether it’s complex compliance, unclear next steps, or lack of employer engagement. Our platform automates administrative tasks, integrates with existing systems, and offers real-time tracking to keep apprentices, mentors, and employers aligned.

Ultimately, our approach is about creating a cycle of opportunity: learners gain career-aligned skills without debt, employers develop a more diverse and prepared workforce, and entire industries benefit from closing the skills gap through equitable, scalable talent development.

What upcoming milestones are you most excited about as you scale GoSprout?

Carlos: We’re incredibly excited about several upcoming milestones as we scale GoSprout, especially our work in redefining what it means to be an apprentice. Traditionally, apprenticeship has been seen through a narrow lens, often tied to just a handful of trades. But we’re expanding that narrative to include a wider set of high-growth, deskless occupations including roles in solar, manufacturing, aviation, healthcare, and more that are vital to our economy but often overlooked.

One of our biggest milestones is not just growth in numbers, but growth in storytelling. Apprenticeship is more than a training model. It’s a life-changing opportunity. We’re embedding digital storytelling tools into our platform to help learners and employers capture and share these journeys. That visibility is crucial to normalizing and modernizing apprenticeship across industries and communities.

We’ve already seen strong retention rates with partners like Volvo, United Airlines, Radiance Solar, Pearce Renewables, and Johnson & Johnson. Now, we’re focused on expanding into more workforce boards and colleges by helping them move beyond compliance checkboxes to fully realizing the benefits of apprenticeship. That includes tapping into related models like internships and co-ops, and making work-based learning accessible at every level.

We’re also rolling out new features like enhanced competency tracking and postsecondary credit mapping, allowing programs to align more closely with educational outcomes and giving apprentices a clearer path to both career and academic advancement.

Ultimately, we’re building the infrastructure to ensure apprenticeship is not a fallback or an alternative, but a first-choice pathway to success.

As GoSprout continues to expand opportunities for underserved communities, what’s your vision for a more inclusive and equitable future in education and the workforce?

Carlos: I know firsthand the impact a job can have and not just on your wallet, but on your sense of self, your future, and your family. I grew up in public housing in the South Bronx, and while I was surrounded by love, I was also surrounded by instability. What changed my life was access to real work, with real pay, and eventually, a career path that offered dignity, benefits, and upward mobility.

That’s the future I want GoSprout to help build: one where no one’s potential is limited by their zip code, income, or lack of connections. A future where education and employment systems are designed to meet people where they are, not where we assume they should be. Apprenticeship is one of the most powerful, proven tools we have to make that happen. But it’s long been underutilized, especially in underserved communities.

At GoSprout, we’re not just helping people get jobs. We’re helping them build lives. We’re designing systems that make opportunity more predictable, not something that depends on luck or a miracle. We want young people to grow up knowing that there’s a clear, supported path to a high-paying, high-growth career and that they’re not alone in finding it.

Our vision is simple but bold: a country where career pathways are transparent, inclusive, and built to last. Where success isn’t the exception for people from communities like mine. 

Learn more at GoSprout’s website here.