Recently, the Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion released its final report and recommendations on expanding and promoting apprenticeships in the United States. The task force, which comprised of Trump Administration officials, business leaders, educators and labor representatives, was established last year as part of the president’s executive order on apprenticeships. The task force focused most of its attention on establishing a federal framework for recognizing and supporting industry-recognized apprenticeships. Among the policy recommendations included in the report:
- Emphasize core components of “work-and-learn” models in industry-recognized apprenticeships; including blended learning, portable recognized credentials, mentorships, paid work experience, and credit for prior knowledge and experience.
- Implement an industry-recognized apprenticeship pilot project in an industry without established registered apprenticeship programs.
- Develop a needs analysis to find existing skills shortages and identify where apprenticeships can assist in meeting those workforce challenges.
- Compile online apprenticeship resources in a centralized website.
- Clarify or align funding available to support apprenticeship development through WIOA, Perkins, Federal Work-Study, and Pell Grant programs.
- Update federal funding criteria to ensure equal treatment of registered apprenticeship and industry-recognized apprenticeship programs.
- Evaluate all federal workforce development programs and realign funding for “underperforming programs” to promote industry-recognized apprenticeships.
- Streamline state grant access by creating a single apprenticeship program application.
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