Supporting the designation of the week beginning November 8, 2020, as "National Apprenticeship Week".

National Apprenticeship Week Whereas a highly skilled workforce is necessary to facilitate upward mobility, increase standards of living, create high-wage 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 29 U.S.C. 50 (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-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 Department of Labor, the national registered apprenticeship system leverages approximately $1,000,000,000 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 an evaluation of registered apprenticeship programs in 10 States conducted by Mathematica Policy Research in 2012 found that— (1) individuals who completed registered apprenticeship programs earned over $240,000 more over their careers than individuals who did not participate in registered apprenticeship programs; (2) over the career of an apprentice, the estimated social benefits of registered apprenticeship programs exceed the social costs by more than $49,000; and (3) the tax return on every dollar the Federal Government invested in registered apprenticeship programs was $27; Whereas according to the Department of Labor— (1) nearly 700,000 new registered apprenticeships have been created since January 1, 2017; (2) registered apprenticeships have a 94-percent placement rate at program completion; and (3) after completion, registered apprenticeship participants have an average annual salary of $70,000; 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; (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 That the House of Representatives— (1) supports the designation of National Apprenticeship Week (2) supports the expansion of 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 pre-apprenticeship 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 apprenticeships in developing a well-trained, highly skilled, and more diverse workforce; and (8) commends organizations and employers that actively support registered apprenticeship programs.

Summary: This resolution supports the designation of National Apprenticeship Week.