THE MISSION IS TO EXPAND THE USE OF APPRENTICESHIP BY SUPPORTING THE WORK OF STATE APPRENTICESHIP AGENCIES THROUGH ADVOCACY, TRAINING, AND THE SHARING OF BEST PRACTICES. THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE AND TERRITORIAL APPRENTICESHIP DIRECTORS (NASTAD) IS CURRENTLY COMPRISED OF STATE APPRENTICESHIP AGENCY (SAA) DIRECTORS REPRESENTING 33 MEMBER STATES AND TERRITORIES. AS FEDERALLY AUTHORIZED INDEPENDENTLY OPERATED SAAS, WE FACILITATE THE DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF HIGH-QUALITY REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP (RA) PROGRAMS IN OUR STATES AND TERRITORIES AS A SOLUTION TO THE OVERWHELMING DEMAND FOR HIGHLY SKILLED WORKERS FOR MORE THAN HALF OF THE REGISTERED APPRENTICES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. RA, AND ASSOCIATED PREPARATION PROGRAMS, ADDRESS CONSIDERABLE CHALLENGES EMPLOYERS FACE BY DEVELOPING A TALENT PIPELINE TO FILL MIDDLE AND HIGH- SKILLED JOBS. BY ACCELERATING NECESSARY TRAINING AND CULTIVATING TALENT, THESE EMPLOYER-DESIGNED PROGRAMS PROVIDE SCREENED, DIVERSE, WELL-PREPARED WO