Training America’s Workforce Act

Sen. Scott (R-SC) has introduced legislation entitled Training America’s Workforce Act, which would revive apprenticeship programs and make them more responsive to industry workforce needs. It would also help individuals obtain industry-specific skills through on-the-job learning and classroom instruction, as well as an industry-recognized credential upon completion of the program. The legislation would allow third-party Department of Labor-recognized entities, such as “qualifying trade associations or institutions of higher education,” to recognize and perform oversight of industry-led apprenticeship programs developed by the private sector and other organizations. The bill instructs the Secretary of Labor to establish a process to recognize private and public sector entities as “standards recognition entities” within one year of the legislation’s enactment. That term pertains to entities that are marked by the Secretary of Labor for the purpose of recognizing apprenticeship programs as being industry-recognized.  Those entities will need to establish standards that show their programs would include paid work, on-the-job learning, mentorship, education and classroom instruction, a written training plan and apprenticeship agreement, and more. They would also be required to provide proof of an industry-recognized credential upon completion of programs.