Expanding Apprenticeships in America

Against this background, federally funded education and workforce development programs are not effectively serving American workers. Despite the billions of taxpayer dollars invested in these programs each year, many Americans are struggling to find full-time work. These Federal programs must do a better job matching unemployed American workers with open jobs, including the 350,000 manufacturing jobs currently available.

Expanding apprenticeships and reforming ineffective education and workforce development programs will help address these issues, enabling more Americans to obtain relevant skills and high-paying jobs. Apprenticeships provide paid, relevant workplace experiences and opportunities to develop skills that employers value. Additionally, they provide affordable paths to good jobs and, ultimately, careers.

Finally, federally funded education and workforce development programs that do not work must be improved or eliminated so that taxpayer dollars can be channeled to more effective uses.

(a) the term “apprenticeship” means an arrangement that includes a paid-work component and an educational or instructional component, wherein an individual obtains workplace-relevant knowledge and skills; and

(b) the term “job training programs” means Federal programs designed to promote skills development or workplace readiness and increase the earnings or employability of workers, but does not include Federal student aid or student loan programs.

(i) determine how qualified third parties may provide recognition to high-quality apprenticeship programs (industry-recognized apprenticeship programs);

(ii) establish guidelines or requirements that qualified third parties should or must follow to ensure that apprenticeship programs they recognize meet quality standards;

(iii) provide that any industry-recognized apprenticeship program may be considered for expedited and streamlined registration under the registered apprenticeship program the Department of Labor administers;

(iv) retain the existing processes for registering apprenticeship programs for employers who continue using this system; and

(v) establish review processes, consistent with applicable law, for considering whether to:

(A) deny the expedited and streamlined registration under the Department of Labor's registered apprenticeship program, referred to in subsection (a)(iii) of this section, in any sector in which Department of Labor registered apprenticeship programs are already effective and substantially widespread; and

(B) terminate the registration of an industry-recognized apprenticeship program recognized by a qualified third party, as appropriate.

(b) The Secretary shall consider and evaluate public comments on any regulations proposed under subsection (a) of this section before issuing any final regulations.

(b) The mission of the Task Force shall be to identify strategies and proposals to promote apprenticeships, especially in sectors where apprenticeship programs are insufficient. The Task Force shall submit to the President a report on these strategies and proposals, including:

(i) Federal initiatives to promote apprenticeships;

(ii) administrative and legislative reforms that would facilitate the formation and success of apprenticeship programs;

(iii) the most effective strategies for creating industry-recognized apprenticeships; and

(iv) the most effective strategies for amplifying and encouraging private-sector initiatives to promote apprenticeships.

(c) The Department of Labor shall provide administrative support and funding for the Task Force, to the extent permitted by law and subject to availability of appropriations.

(d) The Secretary shall serve as Chair of the Task Force. The Secretaries of Education and Commerce shall serve as Vice-Chairs of the Task Force. The Secretary shall appoint the other members of the Task Force, which shall consist of no more than twenty individuals who work for or represent the perspectives of American companies, trade or industry groups, educational institutions, and labor unions, and such other persons as the Secretary may from time to time designate.

(e) Insofar as the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), may apply to the Task Force, any functions of the President under that Act, except for those of reporting to the Congress, shall be performed by the Chair, in accordance with guidelines issued by the Administrator of General Services.

(f) Members of the Task Force shall serve without additional compensation for their work on the Task Force, but shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, to the extent permitted by law for persons serving intermittently in the Government service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707), consistent with the availability of funds.

(g) A member of the Task Force may designate a senior member of his or her organization to attend any Task Force meeting.

(h) The Task Force shall terminate 30 days after it submits its report to the President.

(i) evaluations of any relevant data pertaining to their effectiveness (including their employment outcomes);

(ii) recommendations for administrative and legislative reforms that would improve their outcomes and effectiveness for American workers and employers; and

(iii) recommendations to eliminate those programs that are ineffective, redundant, or unnecessary.

(b) The Director of OMB shall consider the information provided by agencies in subsection (a) of this section in developing the President's Fiscal Year 2019 Budget.

(c) The head of each agency administering one or more job training programs shall order, subject to available appropriations and consistent with applicable law, an empirically rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of such programs, unless such an analysis has been recently conducted. When feasible, these evaluations shall be conducted by third-party evaluators using the most rigorous methods appropriate and feasible for the program, with preference given to multi-site randomized controlled trials.

(d) The Director of OMB shall provide guidance to agencies on how to fulfill their obligations under this section.

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of OMB relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.