Sponsors (2)
This is not an official government website.
Copyright © 2026 PLEJ LC. All rights reserved.
Introduced January 23, 2025 by Martin Heinrich · Last progress January 23, 2025
Creates a federally supported program run by the Department of Labor, in consultation with the Department of Education, to contract with industry intermediaries to expand registered apprenticeship opportunities for secondary school students and priority groups. Contracts may fund program design, pre-apprenticeships, recruitment, training, wraparound supports, tracking, administrative costs, and pay up to 50% of an apprentice’s wages; priority is given to students in high-poverty schools/areas, disconnected youth, Indian children, women in trades/tech, and individuals with disabilities. Defines key terms used for the program (apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, disconnected youth, industry intermediary, region, STEM, and education terms by cross-reference) and authorizes “such sums as may be necessary” for implementation through competitively awarded contracts with industry intermediaries.
The bill expands and clarifies paid apprenticeship pathways and student supports to increase access for disadvantaged youth and encourage employer participation, but does so with new administrative burdens, narrower statutory definitions that may exclude some employer-led training, and open-ended federal spending that could produce uneven regional uptake and fiscal exposure.
Students and disconnected youth (ages 16–24), especially in high-poverty/high-need areas, gain clearer pathways and access to paid apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships, increasing training, work experience, and near-term earnings potential.
Employers — particularly small businesses — face lower hiring and training costs because the program subsidizes up to half of apprentice wages and can cover tools and tuition, which should encourage employer participation in apprenticeships.
Students (especially low-income students) receive supportive services such as tutoring, child/family care payments, and coaching that improve the likelihood of completing both school and apprenticeship training.
Federal taxpayers face open-ended fiscal exposure because the bill funds ongoing subsidies and supports with unspecified 'such sums as may be necessary,' increasing federal spending without a fixed cap.
Industry intermediaries, local programs, schools, and employers are likely to face substantial administrative complexity and compliance burdens (applications, reporting, priority criteria, cross-statutory alignment), raising overhead and implementation costs.
Some worker training pathways and employer-led or informal training programs could be excluded by narrow statutory definitions (e.g., requiring registration under the National Apprenticeship Act), limiting options for small employers and certain workers.