The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), with the blessing of organized labor, has finalized repeal of one of the Trump-era DOL’s signature accomplishments, so-called industry recognized apprenticeship programs (IRAPs).
IRAPs were created as an alternative and more innovative way to recognize apprenticeship programs in an effort to be more responsive to local market forces and operate with less bureaucracy than the government’s existing apprenticeship structure. Even though IRAPs were created as an alternative to, rather than as a replacement of, the existing “registered apprenticeship programs” system, they were strongly opposed by labor unions as a perceived threat given labor’s heavy investment in and influence over the entrenched registered apprenticeship model.
Members of the Center for Workplace Compliance (CWC) can read more here.