Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-1st dist.) and Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, introduced the Student Apprenticeship Act, a bill that would close the gap between higher education and labor by modernizing workforce training.
This bill is a companion to Sen. Michael Bennet’s Student Apprenticeship Act.
Specifically, the Student Apprenticeship Act would promote collaboration across the board among higher education institutions, employers and labor by creating a grant program that aligns institutions of higher education, employers and workforce intermediaries to create apprenticeship opportunities for students. As a student and an apprentice, participants would work to earn college credit and an industry credential while their employers pay them. Meanwhile, employers would pay at least 25 percent of the student’s college tuition and fees, and student-apprentices would earn credits for their work that count toward their degree and their industry credential.
The bill would also create competitive grants to drive apprenticeships through supporting the expansion of registered apprenticeships by providing institutions of higher education, employers and workforce intermediaries with funds to offset the costs associated with developing and implementing student-apprenticeships. This would include developing curricula and standards, supporting on-the-job learning, mentoring and additional supervision; purchasing updated equipment; and supporting services such as tutoring, transportation, child care and housing subsidies.
The bill would update the federal work-study program to allow apprenticeship programs to qualify as work-study programs, so eligible students who demonstrate financial need earn additional funds to pay their tuition through work that aligns with their coursework and their intended career path.
“Apprenticeship programs grow our economy by fostering training programs that will prepare workers for in-demand careers. There has been a consistent increase in the number of jobs, but employers are struggling to find skilled workers,” Fitzpatrick said. “By promoting the collaboration between higher education and apprentice programs, this bill will help to prepare the next generation for good-paying jobs, while addressing our nation’s current shortage of trained workers.”
