Trump to Expand Apprenticeships and Vocational Training Programs

On June 15, President Trump announced plans to “expand apprenticeships and vocational training, close the skills gap and reduce regulatory burdens on workforce development programs in the United States”. The President signed an executive order that seeks to remove federal restrictions and expand access to apprenticeships across all industries, in order to help more Americans have access to an affordable education and good-paying jobs. The order directs the Secretary of Labor, in consultation with the secretaries of education and commerce, to propose regulations that promote the development of apprenticeship programs by industry and trade groups, nonprofit organizations, unions and joint labor-management organizations. It also directs the departments of Commerce and Labor to promote apprenticeships to business leaders in critical industry sectors, including manufacturing, infrastructure, cybersecurity and health care.

 

The Department of Labor press release announcing the executive order is available here.