Sponsors (2)
The bill makes apprenticeship learning more credit-bearing and affordable for low- and middle-income students while strengthening employer-college links, but it increases administrative work for institutions and could raise federal spending, with uneven benefits if consortia participation is limited.
Low- and middle-income students and apprentices who receive Title IV aid can use federal student aid and Federal Work‑Study to pay for related instruction in registered apprenticeship programs, reducing their out-of-pocket costs and improving access.
Students and apprentices will be able to receive academic credit for apprenticeship-related instruction, improving transferability of credentials and accelerating progress toward degrees and certificates.
Employers and apprenticeship sponsors will gain stronger formal connections with 2‑ and 4‑year colleges, making it easier to recruit qualified workers who hold recognized academic credentials.
Postsecondary institutions and apprenticeship sponsors will face new administrative burdens to establish articulation agreements, create electronic transcripts, and meet reporting requirements, increasing costs and staff time.
Taxpayers may face higher federal spending because expanding credit-awarding and allowing Title IV funds to cover related instruction could increase federal aid outlays and program administration costs.
Students and apprentices in areas without participating consortium members—particularly in rural communities—may not receive the same benefits if adoption remains voluntary, producing unequal access.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Directs Labor and Education to form an agreement to create a voluntary Registered Apprenticeship College Consortium to align apprenticeships with secondary, postsecondary, and adult education, including data‑sharing and credit articulation.
Requires the Labor and Education Secretaries to sign an interagency agreement within one year to promote and align registered apprenticeship programs with secondary, postsecondary, and adult education. The agreement must establish a voluntary Registered Apprenticeship College Consortium to strengthen links between apprenticeships and 2‑ and 4‑year institutions, including data sharing, credit articulation, and guidance on how existing federal education laws and aid can support apprentices. The agreement must address electronic apprenticeship transcripts, credit‑awarding/articulation agreements, guidance on Title IV eligible uses (including Federal Work‑Study), alignment with Perkins and the Rehabilitation Act, outreach and technical assistance, and a public website listing consortium members, programs, credentials, and model agreements; participation is explicitly voluntary and no new funding is specified.
Introduced February 26, 2025 by Amy Klobuchar · Last progress February 26, 2025