Build the Talent You Can’t Find. Strengthen Your Firm from Within.

ApprentEA™ is your firm’s workforce development partner – developing the Enrolled Agent talent you can’t find on the open market: professionals trained to think clearly, solve real problems, and strengthen your advisory capacity.

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of firms struggle to find talent with the analytical and problem-solving skills needed for modern tax work. (Deloitte Human Capital Trends)

of small businesses say they would benefit from stronger financial and advisory support from their tax professionals. (Fed SMB Credit Survey)

of firms say talent shortages restrict growth more than client demand. (AICPA Top Issues Survey)

The Talent Gap Isn’t Just a Hiring Problem – It’s a Capability Problem.

The numbers make one thing clear: firms aren’t struggling because the work is too complex – they’re struggling because too few professionals are trained to think clearly, solve problems, or support entrepreneurs at the level today’s market demands. ApprentEA™ closes that gap by developing the kind of EA talent firms can’t find anywhere else.

Program Overview Explore The Ecosystem

What ApprentEA Makes Possible

ApprentEA™ is your firm’s long-term workforce development system – built for firms that want predictable talent, stronger capability, and a team that can grow with the work.

Instead of relying on an unpredictable hiring market, ApprentEA places your firm inside the full Taxley ecosystem — where talent is sourced, developed, and supported through a structured pathway that strengthens your staff year after year.

At the center of that system is TRIBA™, our Tax Resolution and Integrated Business Advocacy framework, paired with structured on-the-job development inside your firm. The result is a developing professional who contributes meaningfully, grows rapidly, and improves the quality and stability of your client work.

With ApprentEA, your firm gains:

  • team members who support advisory and compliance work with increasing independence
  • earlier detection of financial, behavioral, and operational risks
  • less oversight pressure on partners and senior staff
  • stronger client communication and expectation management
  • long-term retention because growth is earned, not assumed

ApprentEA doesn’t just solve a hiring problem, it gives firms the only reliable way to build the capability, stability, and future leadership that’s not in the job market.

Explore How Apprentices Help Your Firm
LaunchEA - Taxley - Career Seekers
LaunchEA - Taxley - Career Seekers

Your clients need clarity. Your firm needs capacity. ApprentEA™ delivers both.

Talent doesn’t grow on its own – it grows inside systems designed for it. ApprentEA is that system.

How ApprentEA Works - TRIBA Training, OJT, Taxley Sponsorship
How ApprentEA Works - TRIBA Training, OJT, Taxley Sponsorship

Six Ways Apprentices Strengthen the Work Your Firm Delivers

Your apprentices become developing professionals inside your firm – applying our TRIBA principles to real client work while building the clarity, judgment, and analytical depth your team needs to grow.

Financial Insight

They identify household financial patterns that shape tax outcomes and client decisions.

ROI: Fewer surprises, more accurate case strategy, stronger planning conversations.

Business Analysis

They interpret financial statements and operational patterns with increasing precision.

ROI: Better advisory support and earlier detection of issues affecting client stability.

Integrated Advisory

They connect data across the personal-business landscape – a core TRIBA capability.

ROI: Clearer recommendations and more strategically aligned client decisions.

Tax Preparation

They support preparation, analysis, research, and communication with accuracy and intent.

ROI: Higher-quality production, less rework, and reduced burden on senior staff.

Taxpayer Advocacy

They conduct transcript reviews, notice interpretation, and case development.

ROI: More capacity to handle IRS and state controversies quickly and confidently.

Professional Presence

They build the confidence and communication discipline clients respect and trust.

ROI: Improved client experience and stronger perception of your firm’s professionalism.

A Founder’s Perspective

On the future of Enrolled Agent Talent

For nearly two decades, I’ve watched firms face the same reality: the problem isn’t client demand – it’s the inability to consistently find and develop people with clarity, judgment, and the ability to support entrepreneurs at a high level.

Our profession has never had a true workforce development system:

No shared standards. No development pathway. No reliable way for firms to grow EA talent from within.

I built ApprentEA because that gap was hurting firms and limiting what our profession could become.

Firms need professionals who can interpret complexity early, contribute meaningfully long before they earn the credential, and grow inside an environment built for their success. And professionals need a pathway with structure, support, and clarity — not trial and error.

ApprentEA brings those needs together:

  • A predictable, mission-aligned talent pipeline
  • A readiness infrastructure that protects your investment
  • A development process that produces capable, confident EAs — not just credential holders

My goal is simple: Strengthen firms by developing the EA talent our industry has needed for decades.

If you’re ready to stop depending on chance and start building capability on purpose, ApprentEA is designed for you.

– Anisha Bailey, EA, MSEL

Explore How Partnership Works

The Numbers Say It All: Apprenticeships Strengthen Firms

When firms invest in structured workforce development, the payoff is measurable and transformational.

Firms don’t just gain capacity – they gain retention, capability, and stability. ApprentEA exists to bring those outcomes into the tax and advisory profession, where the need for trained, judgment-ready talent is the highest it has ever been.

of apprentices remain with their employer after completion. (U.S. Department of Labor)

Average return on investment employers gain from apprenticeship participation – $1.44 for every $1 invested. (U.S. Department of Labor)

How ApprentEA Works

A Workforce System Designed for Multi-Layered, Sustainable Growth

ApprentEA™ is your firms talent infrastructure – a unified system that prepares, sources, develops, and elevates EA talent with the clarity, discipline, and critical thinking required for real-world advisory work. Every partner receives three integrated layers of support that work together to deliver long-term, scalable growth.

Employer Readiness & Support

The foundation every firm needs before EA talent can succeed

This is where ApprentEA begins –
because without structure, even great hires fail. We strengthen your firm’s internal environment so apprentices can contribute quickly and senior staff no longer carry the entire burden of training.

We help you establish:

  • Custom OJT plans aligned to your service model, workflows, and client mix
  • Integration practices that reduce ramp-up time and prevent early attrition
  • Repeatable workflows for tax compliance, business advisory, and IRS controversy work
  • Supervisor coaching so mentors can develop apprentices without burning out
  • Taxley-managed DOL compliance, including registration, documentation, and reporting
  • A private support portal for progress tracking and guidance for both supervisors and apprentices
  • Role clarity & competency alignment so both supervisors and apprentices operate with shared expectations and measurable development benchmarks
  • Quarterly competency updates so your team knows exactly where each apprentice stands

Why this matters:

This the pivot point of ApprentEA, the foundational work that makes every dollar you invest produce ROI. Without structured integration, firms cannot extract value from the pipeline or the apprenticeship. Preparation means your apprentices become productive sooner – and stay longer.

Talent Pipeline Access

Year-round talent sourcing without recruiter pricing, risk, or inconsistency

Employer Partners gain exclusive access to the Taxley talent ecosystem – a curated network of aspiring and early-career Enrolled Agents pre-screened for mindset, mission alignment, and professional readiness.

Your firm gains:

  • Lower recruiting time and dramatically reduced hiring risk
  • Immediate access to motivated, purpose-driven talent
  • A steady flow of aligned candidates ready for EA development
  • Significant cost savings compared to 20–30% recruiter fees
  • Visibility into diverse, often overlooked markets
  • Predictable hiring outcomes

Why this matters:

The Enrolled Agent talent pool is shallow and unpredictable. ApprentEA secures long-term recruiting stability and a direct line to future EA professionals who already understand the path they’re entering.

The Registered Apprenticeship

Developing full-capability EA talent through structured education and guided experience.

When your firm is ready, you can register employees into the nation’s first Registered Apprenticeship for Enrolled Agents – a two-year pathway that builds true professional competency.

The apprenticeship blends:

TRIBA™ Instructional Framework

(288 Instruction Hours | Two 12-week Units | Delivered Over 2 Years)

TRIBA fills the exact competency gaps widely cited by IRS, GAO by addresing:

  • Personal financial behavior and taxpayer decision drivers
  • Business finance, operations, and strategic advisory
  • Integrated analysis that connects household and business realities
  • Professional presence, EA standards, and critical thinking
  • IRS and state tax compliance, controversy, and resolution strategy
  • IRS procedure, Circular 230, and ethics

During the 12-week instruction periods (May or Sept), mandatory live sessions will be held Tue, Wed & Thu, 4:30–6:30 PM ET.

On-the-Job Training (OJT)

(4,000 hours over 2 years)

Customized to your firm’s services and workflows, OJT is where apprentices apply TRIBA principles inside real cases under guided supervision. Your firm gains:

  • Faster capability development and contribution to real work
  • Improved case quality and workflow execution
  • Reduced burden on senior staff
  • Faster operational consistency
  • Stronger advisory operations and decision making
  • A federally licensed EA within 2 years – about 3x faster than the CPA track

Built-In Risk Protections

  • Pre-enrollment employee assessment
  • Early withdrawal window
  • No long-term commitment until fit is confirmed
  • Performance and progression oversight

Why this matters:

Unlike traditional degrees or generic training, ApprentEA produces EAs your firm cannot hire – credentialed, trained, practice-ready professionals who understand the work and your firm’s actual environment.

ApprentEA gives firms what the tax profession has been missing for decades:

A scalable, repeatable, high-standard pathway to developing EA talent who can represent, advise, and strengthen the financial stability of the clients you serve.

Get Started: Book an Overview Session

ApprentEA

Frequently Asked Questions


An Enrolled Agent is a federally licensed tax professional authorized by the U.S. Department of Treasury to represent taxpayers in all matters before the IRS. Unlike CPAs, who are licensed at the state level and trained broadly in accounting, EAs are trained specifically in tax law, IRS procedure, representation, and taxpayer advocacy – the core areas most firms struggle to hire for.

Where CPAs are designed for financial reporting, auditing, and assurance work, EAs are built for:

  • IRS problem resolution
  • Taxpayer representation
  • Business & personal financial clarity
  • Compliance interpretation
  • Business advisory

For firms serving individuals and small businesses, EAs often become the most practical and accessible advisory talent, because they can be trained faster, specialize deeply, and operate directly in the areas where clients need help most.

EAs and CPAs complement each other well, but when it comes to tax law, IRS procedure, taxpayer advocacy and integrated financial management, EAs are the federal standard.

ApprentEA™ is Taxley’s workforce development partnership for firms that want a reliable, long-term pathway to building EA talent. It includes readiness support, year-round pipeline access, and the nation’s first Registered Apprenticeship for the EA profession. Firms partner with Taxley to develop capable, practice-ready EA talent they cannot find on the open market.

The EA apprenticeship is a 2-year program that blends:

  • 288 hours of TRIBA™ instruction (live and on-demand)
  • 4,000 hours of structured OJT
  • 2 years of mentorship and guided progression

Apprentices are required to complete all competencies, EA exam requirements, and capability benchmarks within this period.

Traditional apprenticeships teach a skill; ApprentEA™ develops a profession.

This program blends the TRIBA™ framework, structured OJT, and federally aligned progression to produce EAs who can think clearly, handle complexity, support advisory work, and strengthen client stability – not just perform tasks.

ApprentEA is ideal for firms that:

  • Value EA capability as a long-term strategic asset
  • Have experienced Sr. staff available for OJT mentorship
  • Are intentional about work-life balance and employee happiness
  • Desire structured, DOL-backed training pathways
  • Offer tax resolution & business advisory services
  • Want to simplify recruiting and reduce turnover
  • Need predictable recruiting and structured professional development
  • Are committed to developing & mentoring future EA


If you are committed to building the next generation of advisory-capable EAs, ApprentEA is built for you.

Yes. Many firms join specifically to prepare for hiring.

Partnership ensures your workflows, OJT plans, supervisory structure, and readiness foundations are in place before you bring in talent – eliminating costly mis-hires and failed onboarding.

The partnership includes readiness support, custom OJT planning, supervisor coaching, talent pipeline access, and the ability to register employees into the Registered Apprenticeship when your firm is ready.

You may request to join as an Employer Partner at any time. Apprentices may be registered into the upcoming training and OJT cycle once readiness foundations and eligibility checks are complete.

ApprentEA operates on two start periods annually – May and September. Employers must start the enrollment process at least 45 days before the cohort start date – during open enrollment.

TRIBA™ is delivered in two 12-week units and will complete one unit per apprenticeship year. May cohort participants start unit 1 in May of year 1 and unit 2 in of May year 2. September cohorts follow the same structure, respectively.

Each unit includes live instruction (Tue–Thur, 4:30–6:30 p.m. ET during the 12 weeks), on-demand modules, case simulations, and guided reflection. Apprentices are scheduled into the next available cohort once they have been accepted into the program.

Most firms begin experiencing increased capacity, reduced rework, and more independent support within the first 12–18 months. Long-term gains include elevated advisory capability, stronger retention, and a stable EA talent pipeline – benefits aligned with national workforce data for registered apprenticeships.

ImpactEA™ is built for active, licensed EAs who want advanced professional development.

ApprentEA™ is built for firms that want to develop aspiring or early-career professionals into fully capable EAs through TRIBA™ instruction, structured OJT, and guided experience.

Where ImpactEA strengthens existing talent, ApprentEA creates it.

Yes – if they are employed by a participating firm and still need the structured OJT hours and federally aligned development sequence. Most ImpactEA graduates do not need the full apprenticeship, but may enter if the firm wants them to progress through the complete EA development pathway.

Employer Partners access pre-screened candidates from the ExplorEA™ and ImpactEA™ network.

Every candidate visible to partners has already demonstrated EA career commitment, professionalism, and alignment with the advisory-forward nature of the work – dramatically reducing recruiting time and risk.

ApprentEA™ includes a risk-managed early withdrawal window and pre-enrollment assessment.

If an apprentice is not a fit during the initial phase, we guide the firm through a structured step-down process without long-term obligation.

Each firm designates at least one mentor/supervisor who oversees apprentice work and engages in structured development support. Taxley provides supervisor coaching and handles competency progression tracking, ensuring the employer is never left to “figure out development” alone.

One mentor can oversee up to three apprentices, this ensures the mentor is able to properly train the apprentice(s) effectively.

Yes. Firms can begin with one apprentice and add more at any time during the open enrollment window. Each new apprentice receives a custom OJT plan and is formally registered with the U.S. Department of Labor. The system is built to scale as your firm grows.

Firms must allow apprentices to attend live sessions – even if during work hours.

Depending on time zone and scheduling norms, this may occur during the late afternoon or early evening. Many firms treat this as professional development time or an unpaid extended break time.

Absolutely. ApprentEA expands your operational strength by developing professionals who can support advisory and compliance work with accuracy, clarity, and increasing independence – reducing partner strain and elevating client outcomes.

Potentially. Eligibility varies by state and workforce board. During your Firm Evaluation, we’ll identify whether your firm qualifies for available funding or incentive programs.

No. Taxley is the official program sponsor and manages all DOL-related reporting, documentation, registration, progression benchmarks, and compliance requirements on your behalf.

No. Partnership fees secure access to the ApprentEA ecosystem, readiness infrastructure, and talent pipeline – all of which begin upon enrollment. If your firm is unsure about timing or readiness, schedule an evaluation before joining.

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Workforce Development Overview