Sponsors (2)
The bill clarifies definitions and funds paid pre‑apprenticeship training to expand pathways for underrepresented individuals and better align federal workforce programs, while creating modest new federal spending and eligibility/matching rules that may disadvantage small nonprofits and employers and limit reach in low‑capacity areas.
Underrepresented individuals (low‑income residents of certain census tracts, veterans, women, tribal members) gain access to paid pre‑apprenticeship training that prepares them to enter registered construction apprenticeships and increases chances of higher long‑term earnings and job stability.
Students and jobseekers face clearer, standardized definitions for apprenticeships and career and technical education (CTE), reducing administrative confusion when enrolling or applying and helping states align programs across federal agencies.
Local employers—including small businesses—can leverage federal grant funding to recruit and train needed construction workers, lowering hiring costs and helping close local skills gaps.
Smaller or less‑resourced community organizations may be excluded or disadvantaged because grant eligibility and priority emphasize partnerships with employers/labor and demonstrated experience running training programs.
Small employers may be strained by required cash or in‑kind matches to receive priority for funding, which could shift costs to them or limit program access in areas with fewer employer partners.
Grant awards tied to demonstrated openings in registered apprenticeships may limit placements where apprenticeship capacity is low, reducing training benefits for participants in underserved or rural areas.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Creates competitive grants to nonprofit employer–labor partnerships to develop pre-apprenticeship programs for building and construction trades.
Official title: To direct the Secretary of Labor to support the development of pre-apprenticeship programs in the building and construction trades that serve underrepresented populations, including individuals from low income and rural census tracts.
Introduced July 14, 2026 by Donald Norcross · Last progress July 14, 2026
Creates a competitive federal grant program to fund nonprofit partnerships that develop and run pre-apprenticeship programs for the building and construction trades. Grants support program design, curriculum, recruitment of underrepresented and low-income participants, and help place successful completers into registered apprenticeship programs. Grants last up to three years with a possible one-year extension for satisfactory performance; eligible applicants must be nonprofit partnerships with equal representation of industry (employers) and labor organizations and must demonstrate training experience, employer absorption of completers into registered apprenticeships, and alignment with local workforce demand.