Trump Administration Announces Draft Rule To Expand Apprenticeships
The Trump administration took significant steps forward this week to expand apprenticeships.
The U.S. Labor Department proposed new federal regulations, available for review here, that will pave the way for formally recognizing and governing Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs) and will empower businesses to lead high-quality apprenticeship programs to train and retain talent.
As the Labor Department explained in a press release, under the proposed rule, entities such as trade, industry, and employer groups or associations, educational institutions, state and local government entities, non-profit organizations, unions, or a consortium or partnership of these entities could become a Standards Recognition Entity (SRE) that sets standards for training, structure and curricula for IRAPs in relevant industries or occupational areas. The SREs then would be recognized through the U.S. Department of Labor to ensure that its requirements are met, resulting in only high-quality IRAPs.