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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 866 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 866

Supporting the designation of the week beginning November 13, 2023, as 
                   ``National Apprenticeship Week''.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 13, 2023

Mr. McGarvey (for himself, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. 
  Perez, Mr. Johnson of Ohio, Mr. Mooney, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Bost, Ms. 
 Budzinski, Ms. Caraveo, Mr. Carter of Texas, Ms. Chu, Ms. Craig, Mr. 
  Crow, Mr. Cuellar, Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Gallego, Mr. Gottheimer, Mrs. 
Hayes, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Magaziner, 
 Mr. Molinaro, Mr. Morelle, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Norcross, Ms. Norton, Mr. 
Peters, Ms. Sanchez, Mr. David Scott of Georgia, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Trone, 
 Mr. Van Orden, Ms. Wild, Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, and 
 Mr. Allred) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
              the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Supporting the designation of the week beginning November 13, 2023, as 
                   ``National Apprenticeship Week''.

Whereas a highly skilled workforce is necessary to facilitate upward mobility, 
        increase standards of living, create high-wage and high-quality jobs, 
        compete in the global economy, and support economic growth;
Whereas the national registered apprenticeship system established by the Act of 
        August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the ``National Apprenticeship Act'' 
        (50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.), which has existed for 
        over 80 years--

    (1) creates career pathways to high-quality careers for working people 
in the United States;

    (2) offers a combination of academic and technical instruction and paid 
on-the-job experience;

    (3) provides working people with portable, nationally recognized, 
industry credentials that lead to higher earning careers; and

    (4) develops a highly skilled workforce;

Whereas registered apprenticeships--

    (1) are increasingly innovative and diverse in their design, their 
collaboration with local community partnerships, and their use of emerging 
educational and training concepts, including competency-based learning;

    (2) will continue to evolve to meet the emerging demands of a 21st 
century workforce;

    (3) are critical elements of an effective workforce development system 
and help individuals attain a recognized postsecondary credential, 
contributing to their personal economic mobility; and

    (4) maintain high-quality standards for apprentices;

Whereas the national registered apprenticeship system can provide education and 
        training for apprentices in--

    (1) high-wage and high-growth sectors, including information 
technology, financial services, advanced manufacturing, green energy, and 
health care; and

    (2) traditional industries including the building trades;

Whereas, according to the North America's Building Trades Unions, the national 
        registered apprenticeship system leverages approximately $2,000,000,000 
        in private investment, largely in the construction industry, which 
        reflects the strong commitment of the sponsors of the national 
        registered apprenticeship system;
Whereas the national registered apprenticeship system provides employers--

    (1) skilled workers trained to industry and employer specifications to 
produce quality results;

    (2) reduced turnover;

    (3) a diverse talent pipeline for new skilled workers and future 
managers;

    (4) reduced workers' compensation costs due to an emphasis on safety 
training;

    (5) key employability skills such as improved employee engagement, 
greater problem-solving ability, flexibility to perform a variety of tasks, 
and a reduced need for supervision; and

    (6) valuable contribution to output by apprentices;

Whereas, according to the Department of Labor--

    (1) there are 800,000 apprentices annually across the United States;

    (2) registered apprenticeships have a 93-percent placement rate at 
program completion;

    (3) after completion, registered apprenticeship participants have an 
average starting salary of $77,000;

    (4) apprentice graduates earn $300,000 more over their lifetime 
compared to peers not in apprenticeship programs;

    (5) there are over 27,000 registered apprenticeship programs across the 
Nation; and

    (6) there has been a 64-percent growth in new apprentices since 2012; 
and

Whereas the celebration of National Apprenticeship Week--

    (1) honors industries that have mastered the registered apprenticeship 
model;

    (2) encourages expansion of the registered apprenticeship model into 
new industries and occupations;

    (3) encourages the creation of new opportunities for nontraditional 
apprenticeship populations like women and minorities;

    (4) recognizes the role the national registered apprenticeship system 
has played in preparing workers for the jobs of today and tomorrow; and

    (5) promotes conversation about ways the national registered 
apprenticeship system can continue to respond to workforce challenges in 
the 21st century: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of ``National Apprenticeship 
        Week'';
            (2) supports the expansion of registered apprenticeships in 
        high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand industry sectors and 
        occupations;
            (3) increases awareness about the value of the registered 
        apprenticeship program model as an effective earn-and-learn 
        model for students, workers, and employers;
            (4) supports the development and expansion of effective 
        preapprenticeship and youth apprenticeship programs that lead 
        to success in a registered apprenticeship program;
            (5) supports increasing the diversity of participants in 
        the national registered apprenticeship system, including 
        through the support of intermediaries with recruitment and 
        retention;
            (6) supports a closer alignment between registered 
        apprenticeship programs, the workforce development system, 
        career and technical education, and secondary, postsecondary, 
        and adult education;
            (7) recognizes the importance of registered apprenticeships 
        in developing a well-trained, highly skilled, and more diverse 
        workforce; and
            (8) commends unions, organizations, and employers that 
        actively support registered apprenticeship programs.
                                 <all>
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