What This Bill Does
The American Apprenticeship Act allows the federal government to give money to states to help pay for pre-apprenticeship programs and related classroom instruction connected to qualified apprenticeship programs. The bill requires the federal government to cover at least 20 percent but no more than 50 percent of these costs, with states covering the remaining share. (Sec. 2(b), Sec. 2(c))
Who It Affects
States applying for federal grants; individuals preparing to enter apprenticeship programs; employers and labor organizations that sponsor apprenticeships; postsecondary educational institutions; local educational agencies and career and technical education schools; members of minority groups, youth, people with disabilities, veterans, and people with barriers to employment seeking apprenticeship opportunities.
Key Provisions
- The Secretary of Labor may award grants to states on a competitive basis to help pay for pre-apprenticeship programs and related instruction costs for qualified apprenticeships. (Sec. 2(b)(1))
- States must submit a strategic plan describing how they will collaborate with industry, schools, and labor organizations to launch or expand pre-apprenticeships and must explain how they will increase opportunities for underrepresented populations. (Sec. 2(b)(2))
- A qualified apprenticeship program must be registered under the National Apprenticeship Act and operate in an industry sector representing less than 10 percent of all apprenticeable occupations. (Sec. 2(a)(1))
- States can use grant funds for tuition and fees, textbooks, equipment, curriculum development, educational materials, and any other necessary items the state determines appropriate, and may use up to 10 percent for administrative costs. (Sec. 2(b)(4), Sec. 2(b)(5))
- The Secretary of Labor must identify in-demand occupations lacking apprenticeships and report findings to Congress and states. (Sec. 3)
What Changes
Federal funding becomes available for states to support pre-apprenticeship programs and related classroom instruction for qualified apprenticeships. States can now receive competitive grants to help cover these educational costs, which previously had no dedicated federal funding source under this specific program.
Important Definitions
A "qualified apprenticeship" is a registered apprenticeship program operating in an industry sector that represents less than 10 percent of all apprenticeable occupations. A "pre-apprenticeship" is a program designed to prepare individuals to enter a qualified apprenticeship, including hands-on training, theoretical education, and a formal agreement allowing successful participants to enter an apprenticeship program. "Related instruction" is classroom or web-based instruction providing apprentices with theoretical and technical knowledge needed for their occupation. A "sponsor" of a qualified apprenticeship can be an employer, labor union, trade association, or other entity; a sponsor of a pre-apprenticeship can be a school, career and technical education school, labor organization, or community-based organization.
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 83
To assist States in, and pay for the Federal share of the cost of, defraying
the cost of pre-apprenticeships or related instruction associated with
qualified apprenticeship programs, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
JANUARY 25, 2023
Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself and Ms. COLLINS) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Edu-
cation, Labor, and Pensions
A BILL
To assist States in, and pay for the Federal share of the
cost of, defraying the cost of pre-apprenticeships or re-
lated instruction associated with qualified apprenticeship
programs, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘American Apprentice-
4
ship Act’’.
5
SEC. 2. PRE-APPRENTICESHIP AND QUALIFIED APPREN-
6
TICESHIP PROGRAMS.
7
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act:
8
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(1) QUALIFIED
APPRENTICESHIP.—The term
1
‘‘qualified apprenticeship’’, used with respect to a
2
program, means an apprenticeship program that
3
is—
4
(A) registered under the Act of August 16,
5
1937 (commonly known as the ‘‘National Ap-
6
prenticeship Act’’; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663;
7
29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.); and
8
(B) concentrated in an industry sector or
9
occupation that represents less than 10 percent
10
of apprenticeable occupations or of the pro-
11
grams under the national apprenticeship sys-
12
tem.
13
(2) POSTSECONDARY
EDUCATIONAL
INSTITU-
14
TION.—The term ‘‘postsecondary educational institu-
15
tion’’ means an institution of higher education, as
16
defined in section 102 of the Higher Education Act
17
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002).
18
(3) PRE-APPRENTICESHIP.—The term ‘‘pre-ap-
19
prenticeship’’, used with respect to a program,
20
means an initiative or set of strategies that—
21
(A) is designed to prepare individuals to
22
enter and succeed in a qualified apprenticeship
23
program;
24
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(B) is carried out by a sponsor described
1
in paragraph (6)(B) that has a documented
2
partnership with one or more sponsors of quali-
3
fied apprenticeship programs; and
4
(C) includes each of the following:
5
(i) Training (including a curriculum
6
for the training), aligned with industry
7
standards related to apprenticeships in a
8
qualified apprenticeship program, and re-
9
viewed and approved annually by sponsors
10
of such apprenticeships within the docu-
11
mented partnership, that will prepare indi-
12
viduals by teaching the skills and com-
13
petencies needed to enter one or more
14
qualified apprenticeship programs.
15
(ii) Provision of hands-on training and
16
theoretical education to individuals that—
17
(I) is carried out in a manner
18
that includes proper observation of su-
19
pervision and safety protocols; and
20
(II) is carried out in a manner
21
that does not displace a paid em-
22
ployee.
23
(iii) A formal agreement with a spon-
24
sor of a qualified apprenticeship program
25
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•S 83 IS
that would enable participants who suc-
1
cessfully complete the pre-apprenticeship
2
program to enter directly into the qualified
3
apprenticeship program (if a place in the
4
program is available and if the participant
5
meets the qualifications of the qualified ap-
6
prenticeship program), and includes agree-
7
ments concerning earning credit recognized
8
by a postsecondary educational institution
9
for skills and competencies acquired during
10
the pre-apprenticeship program.
11
(4) RELATED
INSTRUCTION.—The term ‘‘re-
12
lated instruction’’ means an organized and system-
13
atic form of classroom or web-based instruction de-
14
signed to provide an apprentice with the knowledge
15
of the theoretical and technical subjects related to
16
the occupation of the apprentice or the instruction
17
needed to prepare an individual to enter and succeed
18
in an qualified apprenticeship program.
19
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
20
the Secretary of Labor.
21
(6) SPONSOR.—The term ‘‘sponsor’’ means—
22
(A) with respect to a qualified apprentice-
23
ship program, an employer, joint labor-manage-
24
ment partnership, trade association, profes-
25
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•S 83 IS
sional association, labor organization, or other
1
entity, that administers the qualified appren-
2
ticeship program; and
3
(B) with respect to a pre-apprenticeship
4
program, a local educational agency, a sec-
5
ondary school, an area career and technical
6
education school, a State board, a local board,
7
a joint labor-management committee, a labor
8
organization, or a community-based organiza-
9
tion, with responsibility for the pre-apprentice-
10
ship program.
11
(7) WORKFORCE
INNOVATION
AND
OPPOR-
12
TUNITY ACT DEFINITIONS.—The terms ‘‘area career
13
and technical education school’’, ‘‘community-based
14
organization’’, ‘‘individual with a barrier to employ-
15
ment’’, ‘‘local board’’, ‘‘local educational agency’’,
16
‘‘secondary school’’, and ‘‘State board’’ have the
17
meanings given the terms in section 3 of the Work-
18
force Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C.
19
3102).
20
(b) GRANTS FOR TUITION ASSISTANCE.—
21
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may make
22
grants to States on a competitive basis to assist the
23
States in, and pay for the Federal share of the cost
24
of, defraying the cost of a pre-apprenticeship, or the
25
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cost of related instruction, associated with a quali-
1
fied apprenticeship program.
2
(2) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a
3
grant under this subsection, a State shall submit an
4
application to the Secretary for such a project at
5
such time, in such manner, and containing a stra-
6
tegic plan that contains such information as the Sec-
7
retary may require, including—
8
(A) information identifying the State agen-
9
cy (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘State enti-
10
ty’’) that will administer the grant as deter-
11
mined by the Governor of the State;
12
(B) a description of strategies that the
13
State entity will use to collaborate with key in-
14
dustry representatives, State agencies, postsec-
15
ondary educational institutions, labor-manage-
16
ment entities, and other relevant partners to
17
launch or expand pre-apprenticeships for and
18
apprenticeships in qualified apprenticeship pro-
19
grams;
20
(C) a description of how the State entity
21
will—
22
(i) coordinate activities carried out
23
under this subsection with activities car-
24
ried out under the Carl D. Perkins Career
25
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•S 83 IS
and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20
1
U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) and the Workforce
2
Innovation
and
Opportunity
Act
(29
3
U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) to support pre-ap-
4
prenticeships for and apprenticeships in
5
qualified apprenticeship programs;
6
(ii) leverage funds provided under the
7
Acts specified in clause (i) to support pre-
8
apprenticeships for and apprenticeships in
9
qualified apprenticeship programs; and
10
(iii) utilize, and encourage individual
11
participants in programs supported under
12
this subsection to utilize, available Federal
13
and State financial assistance, including
14
assistance available under the Workforce
15
Innovation
and
Opportunity
Act
(29
16
U.S.C. 3101 et seq.), education assistance
17
benefits available to veterans, and Federal
18
Pell Grants available under section 401 of
19
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
20
U.S.C. 1070a), prior to using assistance
21
made available under this Act;
22
(D) a description of strategies to elevate
23
apprenticeships in qualified apprenticeship pro-
24
grams as a workforce solution in nontraditional
25
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•S 83 IS
industries, such as information technology,
1
health care, advanced manufacturing, transpor-
2
tation, and other industries determined to be
3
high-demand by the State board for the State;
4
(E) a description of activities that the
5
State entity will carry out to build awareness
6
about the economic potential of apprenticeships
7
in qualified apprenticeship programs;
8
(F) a description that outlines how the
9
State entity will increase opportunities for pre-
10
apprenticeships for and apprenticeships in
11
qualified apprenticeship programs, among mem-
12
bers of minority groups, youth, individuals with
13
disabilities, veterans, and individuals with bar-
14
riers to employment;
15
(G) a description of—
16
(i) how the State entity will ensure
17
that the qualified apprenticeship program
18
meets certain performance measures and
19
quality standards, including that the quali-
20
fied apprenticeship program has been in
21
existence for not fewer than 6 months
22
prior to the application date;
23
(ii) the targeted outreach strategies
24
that the State entity will use for popu-
25
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•S 83 IS
lations previously underserved through ap-
1
prenticeships; and
2
(iii) any State performance measures
3
that the State will use, at the election of
4
the State, to measure the effectiveness of
5
the project; and
6
(H) in the case of a State that has already
7
received a grant under this subsection for a
8
project, information indicating that the State
9
met the performance measures with respect to
10
the project.
11
(3) APPLICATION
REVIEW
PROCESS.—A joint
12
team of employees from the Department of Labor
13
and the Department of Education shall—
14
(A) review such an application; and
15
(B) make recommendations to the Sec-
16
retary regarding approval of the application.
17
(4) USE OF FUNDS.—A State that receives a
18
grant under this subsection shall use the funds made
19
available through the grant to defray any of the fol-
20
lowing costs of related instruction:
21
(A) Tuition and fees.
22
(B) Cost of textbooks, equipment, cur-
23
riculum development, and other required edu-
24
cational materials.
25
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(C) Costs of any other item or service de-
1
termined by the State to be necessary.
2
(5) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—The State may
3
use not more than 10 percent of the grant funds for
4
administrative costs relating to carrying out the
5
project described in paragraph (1).
6
(6) PERFORMANCE
AND
EVALUATION.—The
7
Secretary, after consultation with the Secretary of
8
Education, shall—
9
(A) establish performance measures based
10
on indicators set by the Administrator of the
11
Office of Apprenticeship of the Department of
12
Labor; and
13
(B) establish an evaluation system aligned
14
with the performance measures, and reporting
15
requirements for the program carried out under
16
this subsection.
17
(c) FEDERAL SHARE.—
18
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Federal share of the
19
cost described in subsection (b)(1) shall be not less
20
than 20 percent and not more than 50 percent.
21
(2) NON-FEDERAL
SHARE.—The State may
22
make the non-Federal share available—
23
(A) in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, in-
24
cluding plant, equipment, or services; and
25
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•S 83 IS
(B) directly or through donations from
1
public or private entities.
2
(d) REPORT.—The Secretary shall prepare and sub-
3
mit to Congress, not later than September 30, 2028, a
4
report—
5
(1) detailing the results of the evaluation de-
6
scribed in subsection (b)(6)(B); and
7
(2) analyzing the extent to which States have
8
used grant funds effectively under this section.
9
(e) POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES.—It is the pol-
10
icy of the United States that funds made available under
11
this section should be used to supplement and not sup-
12
plant other funds available under the Workforce Innova-
13
tion and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) and
14
other Federal and State funds available to the State to
15
support workforce development programs.
16
SEC. 3. IDENTIFYING IN-DEMAND OCCUPATIONS.
17
The Secretary shall—
18
(1) identify in-demand occupations nationally
19
and regionally that lack the use of apprenticeships
20
in qualified apprenticeship programs;
21
(2) analyze the use of the qualified apprentice-
22
ship program model in those identified in-demand
23
occupations; and
24
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(3) prepare and submit to States and Congress
1
a report that contains the analysis described in para-
2
graph (2).
3
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
4
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out
5
this Act $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through
6
2029.
7
Æ
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