The Biden administration withdrew its proposed rule to redefine government-registered apprenticeship programs on November 27, 2024. Announced earlier this year, the rule faced opposition from both construction labor unions and business groups.
The proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Labor aimed to shift the criteria for registered apprenticeship programs toward a model focused on career and technical education centers (CTEs). This change was met with resistance from several industry groups, including North America’s Building Trades Unions.
Brian Turmail, vice president of public affairs and strategic initiatives at the Associated General Contractors of America, commented, “This is one of those issues where we shared many of the same concerns with our colleagues in organized labor. The proposed measure would have reduced the flexibility that makes registered apprenticeship programs so effective in preparing new workers.” Turmail expressed relief that the rule was withdrawn, stating, “We had assumed the measure would not advance under a Trump administration and were pleasantly surprised to see it withdrawn wisely by the Biden administration.”
Ben Brubeck, vice president of regulatory, labor and state affairs for the Associated Builders and Contractors, criticized the proposal, calling it “out of touch” with the needs of construction employers and workers. Brubeck emphasized the importance of government-registered apprenticeship programs in addressing the industry’s need for skilled workers, but expressed disappointment that the proposal missed the opportunity to modernize the apprenticeship system.
Specialty construction contractor groups also opposed the idea of having to establish discipline-specific training programs as CTEs. The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) raised concerns in a letter to the Department of Labor, arguing that the reliance on CTEs could negatively impact long-established apprenticeship programs, particularly those used by NECA, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and similar organizations for more than 70 years, potentially jeopardizing apprentice and contractor safety.
Even if the Biden administration had not withdrawn the proposal, the incoming Trump administration was unlikely to continue pursuing the government-registered apprenticeship overhaul.
Reference
Yoders J. (2024) Biden Labor Department Withdraws New Government Registered Apprenticeship Rule. ENR.com (accessed December 3, 2024).