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Recognizing the 5th Annual National Apprenticeship Week

Floor Speech

Date: Nov. 13, 2019
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Business and Consumers Employment and Affirmative Action

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Mr. POCAN. Madam Speaker, during the 5th annual National Apprenticeship Week, I recognize the success of the Registered Apprenticeship system, which has been the model workforce development policy in the United States for over eight decades.

Over the next decade, 45 percent of all jobs will require more than a high school diploma, but won't necessitate a bachelor's degree. Registered Apprenticeship programs hold the key to preparing a new wave of working people for these jobs and ensuring all people have the adequate resources for economic stability. The Registered Apprenticeship program model has proven success in skilled trades and service industries for both workers and employers, with every dollar invested in a craft apprenticeship yielding up to $3 in return for employers.

My state of Wisconsin has been a leader in Apprenticeship training since 1911, when we established the nation's first apprenticeship law. That first year, Wisconsin had 625 apprentices, and its state law became a model for the National Apprenticeship Act in 1937--the first federal apprenticeship law. Building on a century of success, Wisconsin now has over 11,000 active apprentices and 2,500 employers in construction, industrial trades, utilities, healthcare, service trades, and IT.

Congress should continue to build on the Registered Apprenticeship system to extend workforce training opportunities to more workers-- especially women, people of color, and those from disadvantaged communities. Congress should also seek to integrate apprenticeship readiness programs, secondary and post-secondary education systems, and support services to ensure that more workers and employers can participate successfully in Registered Apprenticeships. Most importantly, Congress must uphold the strong standards for Registered Apprenticeship so that apprentices have confidence that they will have their rights protected and receive transferable, nationally recognized credentials.

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