I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8302 
To promote the furtherance of standards necessary to safeguard the welfare 
of apprentices. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 
Mr. LEVIN of Michigan (for himself and Ms. BONAMICI) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To promote the furtherance of standards necessary to 
safeguard the welfare of apprentices. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Strengthening Train-
ing and Accessibility for New and Diverse Apprenticeships 
through Relevant and Dependable Standards Act’’ or the 
‘‘STANDARDS Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:07 Oct 04, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8302.IH
H8302
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. QUALITY STANDARDS OF APPRENTICESHIP PRO-
GRAMS UNDER THE NATIONAL APPRENTICE-
SHIP SYSTEM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor (act-
ing through the Administrator of the Office of Apprentice-
ship) shall formulate and promote the furtherance of qual-
ity standards necessary to safeguard the welfare of ap-
prentices. 
(b) APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM STANDARDS.—An 
apprenticeship program shall meet the following stand-
ards: 
(1) The program has an organized and clearly 
written plan, developed by the sponsor, that in-
cludes, at a minimum, the following information: 
(A) The employment and training to be re-
ceived by each apprentice participating in the 
program, including— 
(i) an outline of the work processes or 
the plan in which the apprentice will re-
ceive supervised work experience and on- 
the-job learning; 
(ii) the allocation of the approximate 
amount of time to be spent in each major 
work process by the apprentice; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:17 Oct 05, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8302.IH
H8302
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(iii) a description of the mentoring 
that will be provided to the apprentice; and 
(iv) a description or timeline explain-
ing the periodic reviews and evaluations of 
the apprentice’s performance on the job 
and in related instruction. 
(B) A process for maintaining appropriate 
progress records, including the reviews and 
evaluations described in subparagraph (A)(iv). 
(C) A description of the organized, related 
instruction the apprentice will receive in tech-
nical subjects related to the occupation, 
which— 
(i) for time-based or hybrid appren-
ticeship programs as described in subpara-
graph (E), shall include not less than 144 
hours for each year of apprenticeship, un-
less an alternative requirement is put forth 
by the employer and sponsor that reflects 
industry standards and is accepted by the 
Administrator; 
(ii) may be accomplished through 
classroom instruction, occupational or in-
dustry 
courses, 
instruction 
provided 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:07 Oct 04, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8302.IH
H8302
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
through electronic media, or other instruc-
tion approved by the registration agency; 
(iii) shall be provided by one or more 
qualified instructors that— 
(I)(aa) meet technical instructor 
requirements of the applicable edu-
cation agency in the State of registra-
tion; or 
(bb) are subject matter experts, 
defined for purposes of this subpara-
graph as individuals recognized within 
an industry as having expertise in a 
specific occupation; and 
(II) have training in teaching 
techniques and learning styles, or will 
obtain such training before providing 
the related technical instruction; and 
(iv) where appropriate and to the ex-
tent practicable, shall be aligned to a ca-
reer pathway. 
(D) A progressively increasing, clearly de-
fined schedule of wages to be paid to the ap-
prentice that is— 
(i) consistent with measurable skill 
gains; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:07 Oct 04, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8302.IH
H8302
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(ii) ensures the entry wage is not less 
than the greater of— 
(I) the minimum wage required 
under section 6(a) of the Fair Labor 
Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 
206(a)); or 
(II) the applicable wage required 
by other applicable Federal or State 
laws (including regulations) or collec-
tive bargaining agreements. 
(E) The term of the apprenticeship pro-
gram, which may be measured through— 
(i) a time-based model, which requires 
the completion of the industry standard for 
on-the-job learning hours ,which in no case 
shall be less than 2,000 hours, unless an 
alternative requirement is put forth by the 
employer and sponsor that reflects indus-
try standards and is accepted by the Sec-
retary and registration agency; 
(ii) a competency-based model, which 
requires the attainment of competency in 
the occupation; or 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:07 Oct 04, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8302.IH
H8302
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(iii) a hybrid model, which blends the 
time-based 
and 
competency-based 
ap-
proaches. 
(F) The methods used to measure an ap-
prentice’s skills and competencies, may include 
an initial diagnostic assessment of credentials 
that verify an individual’s foundational knowl-
edge and skills that would be needed to succeed 
in an apprenticeship program, and which shall 
include— 
(i) in the case of a time-based appren-
ticeship described in subparagraph (E)(i), 
the individual apprentice’s completion of 
the required hours of on-the-job learning 
as described in a work process schedule; 
(ii) in the case of a competency-based 
model, the individual apprentice’s success-
ful demonstration of acquired skills and 
knowledge through appropriate means of 
testing and evaluation for such com-
petencies, and by requiring apprentices to 
complete a paid on-the-job learning compo-
nent of the apprenticeship; or 
(iii) in the case of a hybrid appren-
ticeship described in subparagraph (E)(iii), 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:07 Oct 04, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8302.IH
H8302
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS