Big Bet: Reignite the American Dream by making paid apprenticeships the default path to a well-paying career — especially for returning citizens, Veterans, and those experiencing housing instability who have been locked out of traditional pathways.
Project: Apprentos works with local governments and employers to connect people to paid apprenticeships that lead directly to stable careers. Using AI-powered tools, the platform helps match jobseekers to apprenticeship opportunities and supports employers in building and managing these programs more effectively. It focuses on individuals often left out of traditional education pathways, including returning citizens, veterans, and people facing housing insecurity. By combining job placement with support like transportation, childcare, and housing connections, it helps participants start and stay in the workforce. Through this approach, Apprentos aims to expand access to career opportunities, increase long-term employment, and strengthen local economies.
Chid Liberty is a social entrepreneur, impact investor, and adjunct professor at NYU. Born in Liberia, he co-founded Liberty & Justice, Africa’s first Fair Trade Certified apparel factory, creating economic opportunities for displaced women. He later co-founded Apprentos, an AI-driven platform transforming access to paid apprenticeships. Chid has been recognized by Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, named an Ashoka Fellow and IKEA Dela Globalizer Fellow, and listed by Quartz among 30 groundbreaking African Innovators. He holds an MBA from Oxford’s Saïd Business School and teaches on impact and earnings.