Cárdenas Applauds House Passage of National Apprenticeship Act, Includes Cárdenas Pre-Apprenticeships Bill
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the United States House of Representatives passed the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 which expands registered apprenticeships and invests in America’s workforce. Registered apprenticeships are America’s most successful federally authorized workforce development program. 94 percent of individuals who complete these apprenticeships are employed upon completion with an average starting wage of more than $70,000 annually. The bill includes the Expanding Opportunity through Pre-Apprenticeships Act, a bill reintroduced by Representative Tony Cárdenas (CA-29) earlier this week.
“The strength of our economy depends on our commitment to developing a 21st-century workforce and preparing the next generation of American workers,” said Congressman Cárdenas. “Globalization and technological innovation have changed the way we interact with the world. This bill will help prepare American workers for the future economy, provide workers with the tools needed to succeed, and open new career opportunities. I applaud the House for passing the National Apprenticeship Act, and I am proud that my amendment was included in the bill.”
The National Apprenticeship Act of 2021:
- Authorizes $400 million for fiscal year (FY) 2022, increasing by $100 million annually to $800 million for FY 2026, to:
- Support the creation or expansion of registered apprenticeships, youth apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship programs, including in non-traditional apprenticeship occupations and for nontraditional populations
- Encourage employer participation and recruitment for individuals with barriers to employment, including individuals impacted by the criminal justice system and individuals with disabilities
- Support national industry and equity intermediaries, and intermediaries at the regional or local level
- Establish or expand educational alignment with programs under the national apprenticeship system
- Codifies and streamlines standards for registered apprenticeships, youth apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, including requirements for apprenticeship agreements and program registration to ensure consistency in quality standards and worker protections.
- Codifies existing regulations and practices to ensure that all individuals have an equal opportunity to participate in programs under the national apprenticeship system, and to increase diversity in the occupations offered and the individuals participating in programs, especially in high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand industry sectors and occupations.
- Codifies the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Apprenticeship, including roles and responsibilities such as:
- Increasing participation in programs under the national apprenticeship system through technical assistance and program recognition activities
- Bringing together industry sector leaders and experts, including employers, industry associations, labor and joint labor-management organizations, education and training providers, credential providers, and apprentices to establish national frameworks to expand apprenticeships to new occupations and sectors
- Improving the data infrastructure to improve reporting and publicly disseminating information about apprenticeship programs
- Codifying the National Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships
- Establishing the evaluation system for the national apprenticeship system to bring performance metrics in line with those of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
- Codifies the roles and responsibilities of the State Apprenticeship Agencies (SAAs) to include:
- Authorizing annual funding for State Apprenticeship Offices and SAAs at $75 million for fiscal year (FY) 2022, increasing by $10 million annually to reach $115 million for FY 2026, with one-third of funds equally distributed to all States and outlying areas, and two-thirds of funds distributed via formula to SAAs
- Requiring SAAs to submit plans for registered apprenticeship activities, which generally mirror existing state requirements under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act
- Strengthens the connections between the Department of Education and Department of Labor through an interagency agreement to support the creation and expansion of youth apprenticeships, college consortiums, and data sharing agreements.
The Expanding Opportunity through Pre-Apprenticeships Act:
- Establishes pre-apprenticeship program standards and requirements.
- Directs the Secretary of Labor, within one year, to collect data on pre-apprenticeship programs, using the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) indicators of performance, how programs resources are spent, and the diversity and inclusion efforts in apprenticeship programs.
- Directs the Secretary of Labor and the State apprenticeship agency, within one year, to conduct research in State labor markets and create a plan to expand participation in pre-apprenticeship programs for nontraditional populations or individuals with barriers to employment, including youth, women, people of color, long-term unemployed, individuals with disabilities, individuals with substance abuse issues, individuals impacted by the criminal justice system, and veterans.
- Provides grants to serve a participants from nontraditional apprenticeship populations with preference to women, people of color, veterans, those who have been impacted by the youth or adult criminal justice system, and individuals with barriers to employment between the ages of 16 and 24.
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