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WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the House passed the bipartisan National Apprenticeship Act of 2021, legislation that will invest more than $3.5 billion over the next five years to expand the national apprenticeship system and create nearly one million new apprenticeship opportunities for American workers. The legislation, now headed to the Senate, includes Trahan’s bill to ensure that small businesses and their workers are able to reap the rewards of highly lucrative apprenticeships.

“Working families continue to struggle financially as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of parents are without work, industries are being forever changed, and folks are wondering if there will even be a job left to go back to as our economy recovers,” Congresswoman Trahan said. “That’s where highly lucrative registered apprenticeships will be key, and it’s why the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 is so important. These programs will help workers strengthen their skills and increase their marketability, all while preventing them from taking on more debt or having to leave the workforce to go back to school. I’m particularly pleased this legislation includes my bill to prioritize participation in the national apprenticeship system by small businesses, who will be able to use grants to defray the costs of creating apprenticeship opportunities for their workers.”

Trahan secured the inclusion of her bill that she introduced last year with Congressman Joe Morelle (NY-25) to authorize the U.S. Department of Labor to provide grants to encourage participation in the national apprenticeship system by small and medium-sized businesses. Should the bill become law, the grants can be used by the businesses to offset costs associated with the creation or expansion of an apprenticeship program, incumbent worker training as mentors or employees supervising apprentices, and wages for apprentices.

The National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 updates the National Apprenticeship Act for the first time since its enactment in 1937 and requires a number of federal investments that respond to the changing landscape of the American economy due to COVID-19. Specifically, the legislation passed by the House today:

• Supports the creation or expansion of registered apprenticeships, youth apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship programs, including in non-traditional apprenticeship occupations;
• Sets consistent standards for registered apprenticeship programs, including requirements for apprenticeship agreements and program registration to ensure consistency in quality standards and worker protections;
• Establishes or expands educational alignment with programs under the national apprenticeship system;
• Codifies requirements that make sure that all individuals have an equal opportunity to participate in programs under the national apprenticeship system and increases diversity in the occupations offered and the individuals participating in programs, especially in high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand industry sectors and occupations; and
• Strengthens the connections between the Departments of Education and Labor through an interagency agreement to support the creation and expansion of youth apprenticeships, college consortiums, and data sharing agreements.

94 percent of workers who complete a registered apprenticeship are employed at the conclusion of their programs and they earn an average of more than $70,000 annually. However, data from the Department of Labor shows that just 0.3 percent of workers nationwide have completed an apprenticeship. By increasing investments in the national apprenticeship system, H.R. 8294 will yield $10.6 billion in net benefits to U.S. taxpayers in the form of increased workers productivity and decreased spending on public-assistance programs and unemployment insurance.

A fact sheet on the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021, including the list of 40 organizations who have endorsed the legislation can be accessed by CLICKING HERE.

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