[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 165 (Thursday, November 5, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H8139]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK

  (Ms. FOXX asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the inaugural 
observance of National Apprenticeship Week. Across the United States, 
hundreds of thousands of apprenticeship programs are helping to prepare 
workers for today's high-skilled, in-demand jobs.
  For far too long, there has been a discrepancy in what students are 
learning in the classroom and what employers say they need in the 
workplace.
  Apprenticeships are key to narrowing that skills gap because they 
offer students a low-cost and, in many cases, a no-cost education that 
arms them with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in today's 
global economy. Apprentices often earn an average starting salary of 
$50,000 and go on to make $300,000 more than their nonapprenticeship 
peers over the course of their career.
  Employers who invest in these work-based learning programs are 
attracting and retaining highly qualified employees. They are also 
seeing results in the form of increased productivity and greater 
innovation.
  Apprenticeships can change lives, and I look forward to seeing how 
these valuable programs continue to strengthen America's workforce.

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