National Apprenticeship Act of 2021

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. POCAN. Mr. Speaker, as a proud member of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, as a co-chair of the Labor Caucus, and a proud member of the Education and Labor Committee, I rise in strong support of the National Apprenticeship Act.

With such high unemployment, the bill before us seeks to invest $3.5 billion over 5 years to expand access to registered apprenticeships across America. Almost 1 million new apprenticeship opportunities will result from the enactment of this bill, leading to good-paying, family- supporting jobs across the country.

So what are registered apprenticeships?

Well, they are a great way to earn and learn. You get paid for your work while learning the skills you need to master your trade at the same time. Not everyone chooses a path of higher education, but everyone wants to earn a good family-supporting wage for their hard work. Apprenticeships are a perfect way for many who fit this definition. From medical work to construction and more, apprenticeships mean advanced opportunities for so many.

My home State of Wisconsin is a pioneer in this area. We enacted the Nation's first apprenticeship law in 1911. The results of our experience back home have been clear: They lead to a stronger, smarter, and more skilled workforce.

Federally, the case for supporting registered apprenticeships is compelling. According to data from the Department of Labor, 94 percent of people who complete a registered apprenticeship are employed upon completion, and their average starting wage is above $70,000.

We were fortunate to support more than 14,000 apprenticeships in Wisconsin last year for over 3,000 employers and over 200 occupations. I look forward to that total growing dramatically following the enactment of today's bill.

I urge all of my colleagues to vote for this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record this letter of support for the National Apprenticeship Act from the AFL-CIO. AFL-CIO, February 4, 2021.

Dear Representative: The AFL-CIO, urges you to support the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 (H.R. 447), scheduled for floor consideration this week. H.R. 447 recognizes that Registered Apprenticeship programs are the `gold standard' in our nation's workforce development system, and we welcome this effort to modernize a law that has not been meaningfully updated since it was enacted 83 years ago.

Unions and our signatory employers have a long history of establishing joint labor management partnerships to design and implement Registered Apprenticeship programs, so we have a deep interest in maintaining and strengthening our nation's Registered Apprenticeship system. These programs provide good jobs with good wages and benefits that increase as apprentices build their skills. They provide a valuable credential that can help secure future employment and advancement along a rewarding career path, and the opportunities they provide are particularly important for women, people of color and veterans.

H.R. 447 authorizes significant new funding to expand registered apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, and youth apprenticeships in the United States. It would codify and streamline existing standards that are vital to support apprentices, and would, for the first time, include youth apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. The House Education and Labor Committee estimates that H.R. 447 will create over 1 million Registered Apprenticeship opportunities over the next 5 years.

H.R. 447 would also codify the role of the Office of Apprenticeship at the Department of Labor, and provide funding streams to ensure oversight and technical assistance. Importantly, it would expand Registered Apprenticeship opportunities into new sectors of the workforce. The bill also establishes standards for state apprenticeship agencies, including a requirement that they develop a state plan to support Registered Apprenticeships and provide technical assistance. Finally, the bill strengthens the National Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship, ensuring that experts from industry and labor have a role in improving the program.

Registered Apprenticeships are America's most successful federally authorized workforce development program, employing 94 percent of those who complete a program. H.R. 447 will help ensure that these programs meet the highest possible quality standards and support family sustaining jobs.

We urge you to support H.R. 447 and to oppose any amendments that would weaken the bill approved for consideration by the full House. Sincerely, William Samuel, Director, Government Affairs.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source