CRS Report: Federal Role and Recent Efforts in Registered Apprenticeship
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This Congressional Research Service (CRS) report, Registered Apprenticeship: Federal Role and Recent Federal Efforts, provides an overview of the federal government’s role in Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) and the policy and funding efforts that have shaped the system in recent years.
Apprenticeship is a workforce development strategy that prepares workers for specific occupations through a structured combination of paid on-the-job training and related instruction. Rising higher education costs and potential mismatches between worker skills and employer needs have increased congressional interest in apprenticeship. The report describes the long-established federal framework for certifying programs through the registered apprenticeship system, in which the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) or a DOL-approved State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) evaluates programs for compliance with federal standards.
Since FY 2016, Congress has supported the expansion of apprenticeship through a series of grants to states and other entities. The report examines these grant programs, including efforts to increase the number of apprentices, expand the industries that use the apprenticeship model, and integrate apprenticeship into broader workforce and education strategies.
Workforce development professionals, program administrators, and policymakers can use this report to understand the statutory and regulatory foundation of Registered Apprenticeship, the scope of federal investment, and recent efforts to expand the system across industries and populations.
Access the full CRS report in the Materials section.
Materials
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- Author(s): Congressional Research Service
- Resource Availability: Publicly available
- Posted by: Damon Jones
- Posted in: Workforce System Strategies