A U.S. DOL proposed rule could limit expansion of and participation in registered apprenticeship programs amid a time of workforce shortages.

AGC recently submitted comments on the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Employment and Training Administration’s (ETA) proposed rule to “revise the regulations for registered apprenticeship by enhancing worker protections and equity, improving the quality of registered apprenticeship programs, revising the State governance provisions, and more clearly establishing critical pipelines to registered apprenticeship programs, such as registered career and technical education (CTE) apprenticeships.”

AGC expressed to ETA that registered apprenticeship is an integral piece in addressing the workforce crisis, but that further restriction and standardization of programs could limit expansion of and participation in registered apprenticeship programs. Specifically, comments addressed that:

• Setting minimum duration of on-the-job training (OJT) is not appropriate for all trades;
• Additional data and record keeping by programs would be overly burdensome;
• Requiring sponsors to police participating employers is unrealistic and duplicative;
• States & localities, stakeholders and/or owners should decide on diversity requirements for projects;
• Standard requirements for apprenticeship agreements should be flexible;
• Single prescriptive apprentice to journey worker ratio is not appropriate for all programs and trades;
• End-point assessments already exist in practice and would be redundant;
• Establishing baseline qualifications and required training for instructors would limit opportunity;
• Occupations suitable for registered apprenticeship should be determined locally; and
• 5-year review cycle of programs would be redundant;

Additionally, AGC was supportive of ETA’s efforts to provide an opportunity for young people to explore career pathways as part of their secondary education. However, the registered CTE apprenticeship initiative should be led by industry and apprenticeship professionals and incorporate more flexibility than is proposed.

For more information, contact Claiborne Guy at [email protected] or Jim Young at [email protected].