WASHINGTON (AP) – The Biden The administration said Thursday it is providing $244 million to expand and update the federal government’s registered apprenticeship program — an effort to bring more people into higher-paying jobs that don’t require a college degree.
White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden and Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su are announcing the financial commitment in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The funding is the largest amount in the apprenticeship program’s history, with the money going to 32 states and 52 fellows.
After the president Joe Biden anemic responses in the June 27 debate against donald trumpHis team has tried to place greater emphasis on the contrast between his policies and what Republicans are offering, hoping that substance will be more decisive than style and age in November’s presidential election.
“This is really a stark contrast to where Republicans are in a big way,” Tanden said. “While previous administrations have tried to talk about this or use it as a talking point, this administration has really done it.”
The House Republican budget plan would cut the apprenticeship program by 47%, despite employers saying they need more qualified workers. The low unemployment rate of 4.1% has caused many companies to say they cannot fill jobs in construction, manufacturing and other sectors.
The latest Labor Department figures show there are 641,044 registered apprentices, an increase from the Trump administration when apprenticeships peaked in 2020 at 569,311.
Both Biden and Trump have promised to increase opportunities for blue-collar workers. Biden’s policies to support new factories making computer chips, batteries and other products have corresponded with an increase in spending on building industrial facilities, but companies say they need more workers for these projects to succeed.
