Apprenticeship Hubs Across America Act of 2021
This bill requires the Department of Labor to implement a program to award grants to workforce intermediaries (certain national, regional, state, or local entities that facilitate the establishment of registered apprenticeship programs) to enable them to engage a variety of stakeholders to support, develop, and implement registered apprenticeship programs.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 578 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 578
To promote registered apprenticeships, including registered
apprenticeships within in-demand industry sectors, through the support
of workforce intermediaries, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 28, 2021
Mr. Norcross (for himself, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Fitzpatrick, and Mr.
McKinley) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To promote registered apprenticeships, including registered
apprenticeships within in-demand industry sectors, through the support
of workforce intermediaries, and for other purposes.
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 Hubs Across America
Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Registered apprenticeship programs provide apprentices
employment with structured on-the-job training, little to no
student loan debt, competitive wages, industry-recognized
credentials, direct access to jobs and careers, and in some
cases, the potential to earn college credit toward an
associate's or bachelor's degree.
(2) According to the Department of Labor Apprenticeship
Toolkit, the average wage for a fully-proficient worker who
completes an apprenticeship is $50,000 annually. Apprentices
who complete their program earn approximately $300,000 more
during their career than non-apprenticeship workers.
(3) There are still very few apprenticeship positions in
sectors with high job growth. According to data from the
Department of Labor, health care--the industry with the
greatest job growth--had only 1,852 apprentices in 2016.
Information technology, another sector with rapidly expanding
job opportunities in the United States, had fewer than 1,000
apprentices in 2016.
(4) A major barrier to expanding registered apprenticeships
in high-growth job sectors is employers' lack of familiarity
with the process to establish, and the requirements of,
registered apprenticeship programs.
(5) Workforce intermediaries, which are organizations at
the national, regional, State, or local level that help ease
the process for employers in developing and delivering new
registered apprenticeship programs, can serve as a catalyzing
force for creating and expanding registered apprenticeships in
high-growth job sectors through technical assistance and
capacity building for employers, labor organizations,
educational institutions, and government entities.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Apprenticeship.--The term ``apprenticeship'' means an
opportunity in a registered apprenticeship program.
(2) In-demand industry sector.--The term ``in-demand
industry sector'' means a sector described in subparagraphs
(A)(i) and (B) of section 3(23) of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102(23)).
(3) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001).
(4) Local board.--The term ``local board'' has the meaning
given such term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
(5) Nontraditional apprenticeship occupation.--The term
``nontraditional apprenticeship occupation'' means an
occupation that has not traditionally engaged in carrying out
registered apprenticeship programs, but which the Secretary
determines would benefit from having such a program (such as an
occupation in a financial services, advanced manufacturing,
information technology, health care, or hospitality industry
sector).
(6) Registered apprenticeship program.--The term
``registered apprenticeship program'' means a program
registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as
the ``National Apprenticeship Act''; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663;
29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.).
(7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Labor.
(8) State board.--The term ``State board'' has the meaning
given the term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
(9) Workforce intermediary.--The term ``workforce
intermediary'' means an entity that, at the national, regional,
State, or local level--
(A)(i) facilitates the establishment of registered
apprenticeship programs; or
(ii) if awarded a grant under this Act, has the
capacity, and will work, to facilitate the
establishment of registered apprenticeship programs;
and
(B) may be a partnership that includes one or more
of the following as partners:
(i) A business or industry organization.
(ii) A community-based organization.
(iii) A joint labor-management partnership.
(iv) An institution of higher education.
(v) A State board or local board.
(vi) A nonprofit organization.
(vii) An industry or sector partnership as
defined in section 3 of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C.
3102).
(viii) An industry association.
(ix) A joint labor-management organization.
(x) A consortium of organizations that
provide technical assistance to support and to
increase the development of registered
apprenticeship programs.
(xi) Any other entity that the Secretary
considers to be appropriate.
SEC. 4. WORKFORCE INTERMEDIARIES GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--From amounts made available to carry out this
Act, the Secretary shall establish and carry out a workforce
intermediaries grant program by awarding grants, on a competitive
basis, to workforce intermediaries, to enable the workforce
intermediaries to engage a variety of stakeholders, such as local
boards, secondary schools, institutions of higher education, and
employers, to support, develop, and implement registered apprenticeship
programs in accordance with section 6.
(b) Duration.--A grant awarded under this Act shall be for a period
of not more than 4 years.
(c) Amount.--A grant awarded under this Act shall be in an amount
of not more than $6,000,000, and such amount shall be determined based
on the relative number of apprentices a workforce intermediary plans to
facilitate.
(d) Geographic Diversity.--In awarding grants under this Act, the
Secretary shall ensure that there is geographic diversity in the areas
in which activities will be carried out under the grants.
(e) Matching Funds.--A workforce intermediary receiving a grant
under this Act shall provide matching funds, from non-Federal sources,
for the activities supported under the grant. The matching funds shall
be in an amount that is not less than 20 percent of the amount of grant
funds provided under the grant.
SEC. 5. APPLICATIONS.
(a) In General.--A workforce intermediary desiring a grant under
this Act shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require.
(b) Contents.--The application described in subsection (a) shall
include--
(1) information regarding--
(A) in the case of a workforce intermediary
described in section 3(9)(A)(i), the extent to which
the workforce intermediary is working, as of the date
of the application, with stakeholders to provide
activities such as the activities described in section
6; or
(B) in the case of a workforce intermediary
described in section 3(9)(A)(ii), the capacity of the
workforce intermediary to begin providing activities
described in section 6 upon receipt of the grant,
including information demonstrating that the workforce
intermediary would be successful in carrying out such
activities;
(2) information regarding the extent to which the grant
will help the workforce intermediary--
(A) expand apprenticeships for in-demand industry
sectors that lack apprenticeships at the time of the
application; or
(B) target populations that are underrepresented--
(i) in apprenticeships generally; or
(ii) in the fields in which the apprentices
will be trained;
(3) assurances that--
(A) the workforce intermediary will cooperate in
the evaluation of the project conducted under section
7; and
(B) the workforce intermediary will meet the
matching requirement under section 4(e);
(4) information about the workforce intermediary's--
(A) experience in providing activities described in
section 6 and capacity, or ability to develop or expand
capacity, to provide such activities;
(B) experience working in a collaborative
environment with government and nongovernmental
entities;
(C) ability to raise or provide funding to cover
operating costs for the long-term sustainability of the
activities supported under the grant; and
(D) capacity and infrastructure to track outcomes
and measure results, including capacity to track and
analyze program performance and assess program impact;
and
(5) information describing how the workforce intermediary
will promote the diversity described in section 6(b)(1)(F).
SEC. 6. USE OF FUNDS.
(a) In General.--A workforce intermediary that receives a grant
under this Act shall use the grant funds to carry out activities, which
may include activities described in subsection (b) or other strategies
as may be necessary, that support the development and successful
implementation of registered apprenticeship programs.
(b) Suggested Uses.--A workforce intermediary may carry out
subsection (a) through one or more of the following activities, as
determined appropriate by the Secretary:
(1) Outreach and marketing.--A workforce intermediary may
provide services to engage employers in registered
apprenticeship programs, which may include--
(A) marketing apprenticeships regionally, to
employers and to potential apprentices;
(B) marketing apprenticeships to secondary school
students, counselors, school administrators, or
parents;
(C) recruiting and evaluating candidates for
apprenticeships;
(D) conducting outreach to employers to persuade
the employers to adopt the apprenticeship model;
(E) matching employers with apprentices; and
(F) promoting diversity among apprentices by
promoting outreach to underrepresented populations
(such as women and minorities), youth, individuals with
disabilities (as defined in section 3 of the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102)), and
veterans.
(2) Employer engagement.--The workforce intermediary may
provide services to engage employers in, and develop curricula
for, registered apprenticeship programs, which may include
assisting a small or medium-sized employer with--
(A) designing a curriculum for a registered
apprenticeship program that blends occupation-specific
skills and general industry skills;
(B) designing a comprehensive training plan for
apprentices;
(C) navigating the registration process for the
registered apprenticeship program;
(D) identifying skills, both technical and
behavioral, needed to perform the occupation in
question;
(E) providing training to managers and front-line
employees to serve as trainers or mentors to
apprentices in the registered apprenticeship program;
(F) paying for the cost of off-site training
provided to apprentices;
(G) coordinating activities between training
instructors and worksite supervisors of apprentices;
(H) conducting or arranging for off-the-job
training related to the apprenticeship;
(I) convening employers to define skills for the
registered apprenticeship program; and
(J) developing occupational standards that are
nationally recognized and portable to help guide
employers and sponsors in establishing new registered
apprenticeship programs.
(3) Support services for apprentices.--The workforce
intermediary may provide support services for apprentices to
assure their success in, and after, registered apprenticeship
programs, which may include--
(A) providing guidance to, mentorship to, and
oversight of apprentices during the program, to ensure
retention and completion;
(B) providing services to address challenges that
surface for apprentices during the apprenticeship;
(C) providing professional development training
needed for apprentices to succeed in a full-time job
after the apprenticeship;
(D) providing post-apprenticeship job counseling
and job placement services;
(E) coordinating pre-apprenticeship training or
off-the-job training related to the occupation involved
in the apprenticeship; and
(F) arranging for an institution of higher
education to provide training courses.
(4) Local and national support for registered
apprenticeships.--The workforce intermediary may support
registered apprenticeship programs locally and nationally,
which may include--
(A) developing national guidelines and standards
for registered apprenticeships in nontraditional
apprenticeship occupations;
(B) connecting multi-region efforts for registered
apprenticeship programs;
(C) documenting best practices in operating a
workforce intermediary; and
(D) providing the ongoing infrastructure to support
apprenticeships in an industry.
(c) Emphasis on In-Demand Registered Apprenticeship Programs.--In
carrying out activities under a grant under this Act, the workforce
intermediary receiving the grant shall place an emphasis on supporting
registered apprenticeship programs that lead to skilled jobs and wages
in in-demand industry sectors.
SEC. 7. PERFORMANCE AND EVALUATION.
(a) Performance Progress Reports to the Secretary.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall require each workforce
intermediary receiving a grant under this Act to submit
performance progress reports at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Secretary may require.
(2) Elements.--Each report described in paragraph (1) shall
include, at a minimum--
(A) the goals, plans, and accomplishments of the
workforce intermediary;
(B) how grant funds have been used; and
(C) how the workforce intermediary has furthered
the purposes described in section 4(a).
(b) Evaluations.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct an evaluation
of each workforce intermediary that receives a grant under this
Act 6 years after the date on which funds for the grant are
first disbursed.
(2) Contents of evaluation.--The evaluation described in
paragraph (1) shall include a critical analysis of the
workforce intermediary--
(A) by addressing topics such as--
(i) the goals of the workforce
intermediary;
(ii) the core competency training offered
by the workforce intermediary, without regard
as to whether such training was supported by
grant funds;
(iii) the structure of the wage progression
or career ladder for each registered
apprenticeship program established or supported
by the workforce intermediary;
(iv) the major recruitment sources of
apprentices for the workforce intermediary;
(v) information on how apprentices are
selected by the workforce intermediary;
(vi) the recruitment challenges that the
workforce intermediary faces;
(vii) the demographic and educational
characteristics of apprentices supported by the
workforce intermediary;
(viii) the structure of the workforce
intermediary, including the number of staff
employed by the workforce intermediary;
(ix) the factors that contribute to a
workforce intermediary's sustainability and
replicability; and
(x) the number of apprenticeships
facilitated by the workforce intermediary and
the occupations involved in the
apprenticeships; and
(B) that evaluates the workforce intermediary using
information on--
(i) the levels of performance achieved by
the workforce intermediary with respect to the
performance indicators under section
116(b)(2)(A) of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3141(b)(2)(A)), for
all apprentices who complete a registered
apprenticeship program supported by the
workforce intermediary;
(ii) the completion rates for apprentices
in each registered apprenticeship program
supported by the workforce intermediary;
(iii) job retention of apprentices, based
on 1 year after completing the registered
apprenticeship program supported by the
workforce intermediary;
(iv) the income level of jobs obtained by
apprentices after completing the apprenticeship
program; and
(v) the occupations in in-demand industry
sectors, and nontraditional apprenticeship
occupations, that the workforce intermediary
has successfully served through the grant by
creating registered apprenticeship programs in
those occupations.
(3) Scope of evaluation.--In conducting the evaluation
under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, to the fullest extent
practicable, limit the evaluation to the efforts of the
workforce intermediary supported under this Act, but shall also
consider all of the efforts of the workforce intermediary to
support registered apprenticeship programs.
(4) Report.--By not later than 90 days after the evaluation
is completed, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the
workforce intermediary, and make publicly available, a report
that will contain--
(A) the results of the evaluation, including the
topics and information described in paragraph (2); and
(B) recommendations on how to further improve the
outcomes of the workforce intermediary.
(c) Renewal.--The Secretary shall use the performance progress
reports and the results of an evaluation under this section for a
project to determine whether to renew a grant for the workforce
intermediary for that project.
SEC. 8. WORKSHOPS; BEST PRACTICES.
The Secretary shall use not more than 5 percent of the funds made
available under this Act to--
(1) plan and conduct workshops throughout the United States
to instruct interested organizations on how to create workforce
intermediaries on a national, State, or local level, and
navigate the grant process described in this Act; and
(2) disseminate best practices on effective development and
implementation of registered apprenticeship programs through
workforce intermediaries.
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act
$25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
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