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Creates a competitive grant program at the Department of Labor for workforce intermediaries to set up, expand, and run registered cybersecurity apprenticeship programs. Grants must fund technical instruction, on-the-job training, industry-recognized certifications, and apprentice supports; most grant dollars must go to core apprenticeship activities and a small share may be used for outreach and coordination. The law authorizes "such sums as may be necessary" but does not specify dollar amounts or timing.
The bill substantially expands employer-aligned cybersecurity apprenticeship pathways and access supports—potentially improving careers and national cyber capacity—but does so with open-ended federal spending, added administrative constraints, and risks of uneven access and program quality.
Millions of students, jobseekers, and employers gain clearer, expanded apprenticeship pathways because the bill recognizes a wider set of intermediaries and enables partnerships with colleges and community organizations to develop registered apprenticeships.
Employers and workers in cybersecurity get more employer-aligned, NICE‑aligned apprenticeship training that helps fill critical vacancies and strengthens national cyber workforce capacity.
Apprentices and incumbent workers can earn stackable, portable credentials while employed, and employers receive help paying for offsite training and materials, improving career mobility and lowering hiring/training costs.
Taxpayers face greater federal spending risk because the bill authorizes open-ended grant funding without specified limits or offsets, and grants may not guarantee long-term job placement or measurable returns.
Congressional budget oversight and program certainty are weakened because the authorization leaves final funding amounts, timing, and implementation details to future appropriations and agency actions.
Expanded intermediary types, required DOL registration, narrow allowable uses (e.g., at least 85% mandated spending), and grant competition increase administrative burden and reduce local flexibility for states, employers, and intermediaries.
Introduced March 26, 2026 by Susie Lee · Last progress March 26, 2026