Nov. 24, 2020—Before its Thanksgiving break, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the The National Apprenticeship Act of 2020, according to a press release from the Automotive Service Association.
The bill will now move to the U.S. Senate for debate and a vote. If passed by the Senate, the Act could set national labor and welfare standards for apprenticeships, authorize dedicated funds for apprenticeship grants and expand the scale of apprenticeship opportunities in in-demand industries like auto repair.
The bill could also streamline the process students would use to access apprenticeship opportunities and is projected to create nearly one million new apprenticeship opportunities over the next five years.
Apprenticeships can offer students valuable hands-on trade experience and training and according to the Department of Labor, 94 percent of apprentices who complete a Registered Apprenticeship program are employed upon completion, but currently only a small number of Americans are currently enrolled in apprenticeship programs.
