Registered apprenticeship is one of the modes of work force development in the United States, which has played an important role in the training of technical personnel. When the registered apprenticeship program was first introduced, the government dominated the establishment of the system with legislation. From 1950s to the end of 1990s, the registered apprenticeship system was further protected by law, which expanded the social groups concerned. In the process of improving the system, a social partnership network composed of government, industrial enterprises and vocational schools was gradually established. In the 21st century, while the registered apprenticeship has been reformed in its training mode, more attention was paid to its all-round cooperation with the education system. The Registered Apprenticeship College Consortium (RACC) was established. Its connection with high school education was also enhanced. All these measures manifest its educational attributes. The social partners of the registered apprenticeship system perform their respective duties, jointly improve the technical personnel training quality, and promote together personal, social and economic development. American registered apprenticeship provides valuable reference for the development of apprenticeship with Chinese characteristics in the following aspects: a law-based system, mutual benefit of the organizations, long-term interaction, and funding guarantee.