This week, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) held a hearing entitled, “Registered Apprenticeship: Scaling the Workforce for the Future.” The witnesses included:
- Josh Laney – Competency-Based Education Network
- Latitia McCane – The Apprentice School, Newport News Shipbuilding
- Gardner Carrick – The Manufacturing Institute
- John Downey – International Union of Operating Engineering
- Brent Booker – Laborers’ International Union of North America
The hearing addressed ways to lessen red tape to encourage more companies to use apprenticeships, reach into high schools to grow interest in the trades and ensure apprenticeship programs are flexible to adjust to workforce changes.
One of the solutions offered by Josh Laney was to shift the oversight of apprenticeships to state agencies, which he said are better suited to meet the needs of local programs. He also suggested that lawmakers create a formula funding model for state agencies, similar to Perkins.
Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) asked how programs like Perkins could support apprenticeships. Many of the panelists said funding can help develop pre-apprenticeships in high schools and purchase equipment that both community colleges and high schools can use.
A recording of the hearing can be found here.
