Apprenticeship Futures for All Act
Bill: H.R.703 | Sponsor: Rep. Jayapal, Pramila (D-WA)
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
Apprenticeship Futures for All Act
This bill requires the Office of Apprenticeship (OA) within the Department of Labor to award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to eligible entities if the eligible entity is a qualified intermediary to (1) support national industry and equity intermediaries in establishing or expanding sector-based partnerships to support the delivery or expansion of programs under the national apprenticeship system to significant scale in the United States, or (2) serve programs under the national apprenticeship system in a local or regional setting.
The delivery or expansion of programs under the national apprenticeship system shall be (1) in key sectors, including manufacturing, information technology, cyber security, health care, insurance and finance, energy, hospitality, retail, construction, and other sectors identified by the OA as targeted for expansion under the national apprenticeship system; or (2) for nontraditional apprenticeship populations, women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and individuals impacted by the criminal or juvenile justice system.

To ensure access to apprenticeships for underrepresented groups, 
eliminate barriers and ensure completion of apprenticeships, and invest 
              in successful apprenticeship intermediaries.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Apprenticeship Futures for All 
Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS, CONTRACTS, OR COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator of the Office of Apprenticeship 
of the Department of Labor shall award grants, contracts, or 
cooperative agreements to eligible entities on a competitive basis if 
the eligible entity is a qualified intermediary--
            (1) to support national industry and equity intermediaries 
        in establishing or expanding sector-based partnerships to 
        support the delivery or expansion of programs under the 
        national apprenticeship system to significant scale in the 
        United States--
                    (A) in key sectors, including manufacturing, 
                information technology, cyber security, health care, 
                insurance and finance, energy, hospitality, retail, 
                construction, and other sectors identified by the 
                Administrator as targeted for expansion under the 
                national apprenticeship system; or
                    (B) for nontraditional apprenticeship populations, 
                women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and 
                individuals impacted by the criminal or juvenile 
                justice system; or
            (2) to serve programs under the national apprenticeship 
        system in a local or regional setting.
    (b) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity applying for any grant 
activity under this Act--
            (1) shall use at least 5 percent of the grant funds to 
        provide direct financial assistance to apprentices, pre-
        apprentices, or youth apprentices through emergency grants to 
        support their financial needs to enter, remain enrolled in, and 
        complete such program, such as support for the related costs of 
        supplies and equipment, courses, transportation, child care, 
        and housing; and
            (2) may use funds for any of the following activities:
                    (A) To establish or expand partnerships with 
                organizations that provide program participants access 
                to financial planning, mentoring, and supportive 
                services that are necessary to enable an individual to 
                participate in and complete a program under the 
                national apprenticeship system.
                    (B) To conduct outreach and recruitment activities, 
                including assessments of potential participants for, 
                and enrollment of participants in, a program under the 
                national apprenticeship system.
                    (C) To conduct outreach, engagement, recruitment, 
                and coordination of activities with employers, industry 
                associations, labor and labor-management organizations, 
                qualified intermediaries, education and training 
                providers, State or local workforce agencies, potential 
                sponsors, community-based organizations, communities 
                with high numbers or percentages of nontraditional 
                apprenticeship populations, small- and medium-sized 
                businesses, or rural communities to establish or expand 
                industry or sector partnerships and opportunities under 
                the national apprenticeship system.
                    (D) To carry out grant requirements, including 
                program evaluation and reporting requirements.
                    (E) To conduct any activities as described in the 
                application that would advance the purposes of the 
                grant.
    (c) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Eligible entity.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``eligible entity'' 
                means--
                            (i) a program sponsor;
                            (ii) a State workforce development board or 
                        State workforce agency, or a local workforce 
                        development board or local workforce 
                        development agency;
                            (iii) an education and training provider, 
                        or a consortium thereof;
                            (iv) if the applicant is in a State with a 
                        State apprenticeship agency, such State 
                        apprenticeship agency;
                            (v) an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization;
                            (vi) an industry or sector partnership, a 
                        group of employers, a trade association, or a 
                        professional association that sponsors or 
                        participates in a program under the national 
                        apprenticeship system;
                            (vii) a Governor;
                            (viii) a labor organization or joint-labor 
                        management organization; or
                            (ix) a qualified intermediary.
                    (B) Sponsor requirement.--Not fewer than one entity 
                under subparagraph (A) shall be the sponsor of a 
                program under the national apprenticeship system.
            (2) Qualified intermediary.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``qualified 
                intermediary'' means an entity that demonstrates 
                expertise in building, connecting, sustaining, and 
                measuring the performance of partnerships described in 
                subparagraph (B) and serves program participants and 
                employers by--
                            (i) connecting employers to programs under 
                        the national apprenticeship system;
                            (ii) assisting in the design and 
                        implementation of such programs, including 
                        curriculum development and delivery for related 
                        instruction;
                            (iii) supporting entities, sponsors, or 
                        program administrators in meeting the 
                        registration and reporting requirements of this 
                        Act;
                            (iv) providing professional development 
                        activities such as training to mentors;
                            (v) connecting students or workers to 
                        programs under the national apprenticeship 
                        system;
                            (vi) developing and providing personalized 
                        program participant supports, including by 
                        partnering with organizations to provide access 
                        to or referrals for supportive services and 
                        financial advising;
                            (vii) providing services, resources, and 
                        supports for development, delivery, expansion, 
                        or improvement of programs under the national 
                        apprenticeship system; or
                            (viii) serving as a program sponsor.
                    (B) Partnerships.--The partnerships described in 
                subparagraph (A) means partnerships among entities 
                involved in programs under the national apprenticeship 
                system, including--
                            (i) industry or sector partnerships;
                            (ii) partnerships among employers, joint 
                        labor-management organizations, labor 
                        organizations, community-based organizations, 
                        industry associations, State or local workforce 
                        development boards, education and training 
                        providers, social service organizations, 
                        economic development organizations, Indian 
                        Tribes or Tribal organizations, one-stop 
                        operators, or one-stop partners, in the State 
                        workforce development system; or
                            (iii) partnerships among one or more of the 
                        entities described in clauses (i) and (ii).
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