Federal Departments Publish Joint Workforce Development Strategy
The United States Departments of Labor, Commerce, and Education published a joint report detailing the Trump Administration's strategy and plan to address workforce shortage issues through workforce development. The plan places a heavy emphasis on the Registered Apprenticeship program. The Trump Administration aims to add one million more apprentices to the country's workforce.
The federal government will work with the private sector to co-design work-based training and credentialing opportunities, with a particular emphasis on Registered Apprenticeships for new and incumbent workers. The Department of Labor (DOL) will also "simplify registration for new apprenticeship programs, reducing the time it takes to develop new program standards or gain approval for expanding apprenticeships to a new occupation." Federal grants awarded through Registered Apprenticeship programs, such as pay-for-performance models, will prioritize the most in-demand occupations at companies making the largest investments in the country through the Department of Commerce's Investment Accelerator.
The three departments will also provide technical assistance to states in creating career exploration activities for students as young as 5th grade. These activities could include job shadowing, career expos, industry tours, employable skills trainings, simulated workplaces, internships, externships, and pre-apprenticeships. The DOL will also consider making funds available to employers for costs associated with providing industry skills training. Separate funds could also be used to partially reimburse employers for wages paid to new members of the workforce, who lack the necessary skillsets, while they receive training.
The report notes that, "the Departments will also explore financing innovations that help shift the cost burden away from workers. The recently passed "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" will allow Pell Grant recipients to apply that aid towards high-quality short-term workforce training programs. The Department of Education (DOE) and DOL will also collaborate on creating a more streamlined system that facilitates greater enrollment in career and technical education (CTE) opportunities. This effort will include more involvement from the DOL in dispersing the DOE's $1.2 billion annual Perkins fund investments in state CTE programs.
Congress may need to act before the departments can fully execute their plan, the report concedes. For example, Congress may need to make certain statutory changes that allow the departments to redirect funding to training providers with the strongest outcomes. Additionally, to make workforce funding easier to access, the administration may need Congress to allow for the consolidation of funding pools that are scattered across various agencies and operate under inconsistent rules. Furthermore, the report encourages Congress to consider allowing the agencies to waive certain rules that may hamper registered apprenticeship participation rates.