President Trump recently signed a new executive order (E.O.) designed to increase the number of apprenticeship programs in the United States by giving employers more flexibility to craft such programs, while simultaneously reducing the Department of Labor’s (DOL) longtime and arguably prescriptive oversight of the apprenticeship system.
Executive Order 13801, “Expanding Apprenticeships in America,” was signed on June 15, 2017, and seeks “to provide more affordable pathways to secure, high-paying jobs by promoting apprenticeships and effective workforce development programs, while easing the regulatory burden on such programs and reducing or eliminating taxpayer support for ineffective workforce development programs.”
Among other things, E.O. 13801 directs the secretary of labor to consider proposing new regulations to provide a pathway for “industry-recognized apprenticeships,” which would allow third-party organizations such as trade and industry groups, companies, and nonprofit organizations to develop their own apprenticeship standards and be eligible for “expedited and streamlined registration” from DOL.
Because the E.O. is designed in part to reduce DOL’s oversight role over apprenticeship programs, it (or some future rulemaking) could have an effect on the recently overhauled equal employment opportunity and affirmative action (EEO/AA) regulations applicable to apprenticeship program sponsors. However, while the future of these revised EEO/AA requirements is now arguably uncertain, as of right now they are still on schedule.
Members of the Equal Employment Advisory Council (EEAC) can read more here.