Sponsors (42)
Official title: To amend the National Apprenticeship Act in order to increase and expand the national apprenticeship system to include the immediate recruitment, employment, and on-the-job earn as you learn training of young African Americans, and to promote the development of equitable hiring standards necessary to safeguard the diversity of apprentices, and for other purposes.
The bill would expand and better coordinate apprenticeships and supports for underrepresented groups and high‑demand industries, improving access and accountability, but it increases compliance burdens, raises constitutional and funding risks, and relies on employer participation for real benefits.
Racial and ethnic minority jobseekers (including young adults and students) will gain expanded access to registered apprenticeships and paid training pathways, increasing employment and earnings opportunities.
Workers and employers will see more apprenticeship slots and pathways in high‑demand and nontraditional industries (construction, IT, healthcare, cybersecurity and others), broadening local labor markets and skilled‑worker pipelines.
Participants will receive wraparound supports (mentoring, financial planning, supportive services) and better alignment between education and apprenticeships, improving completion and placement rates.
Apprenticeship sponsors, employers, education providers, and state/local grantees will face increased administrative and compliance burdens that could divert staff time and funds away from direct services.
Provisions that target specific racial groups (e.g., focused requirements for African American participation and race‑targeted outreach) could prompt legal and political challenges or perceptions of unfairness that delay or block implementation.
Authorized funding ($14M total) increases potential taxpayer costs and—because authorization does not ensure appropriation—programs may face uncertainty or delayed implementation if Congress does not fund them.
Based on analysis of 8 sections of legislative text.
Requires diversity plans to boost African American participation in registered apprenticeships, creates a DOL Diversity & Inclusion Administrator, and funds competitive grants ($2M–$5M FY26–29).
Introduced December 15, 2025 by David Scott · Last progress December 15, 2025
Creates a Diversity and Inclusion Administrator in the Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship to increase African American and other underrepresented participation in registered apprenticeship programs. It requires apprenticeship registration and renewal applicants to submit plans to boost African American participation, establishes competitive grants to expand diverse apprenticeship pipelines across traditional and nontraditional industries, defines eligible applicants and required outcome reporting, and authorizes modest annual funding for FY2026–FY2029. The Act takes effect April 22, 2026.