[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 181 (Wednesday, November 13, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1435]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RECOGNIZING THE 5TH ANNUAL NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK

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                            HON. MARK POCAN

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 13, 2019

  Mr. POCAN. Madam Speaker, during the 5th annual National 
Apprenticeship Week, I recognize the success of the Registered 
Apprenticeship system, which has been the model workforce development 
policy in the United States for over eight decades.
  Over the next decade, 45 percent of all jobs will require more than a 
high school diploma, but won't necessitate a bachelor's degree. 
Registered Apprenticeship programs hold the key to preparing a new wave 
of working people for these jobs and ensuring all people have the 
adequate resources for economic stability. The Registered 
Apprenticeship program model has proven success in skilled trades and 
service industries for both workers and employers, with every dollar 
invested in a craft apprenticeship yielding up to $3 in return for 
employers.
  My state of Wisconsin has been a leader in Apprenticeship training 
since 1911, when we established the nation's first apprenticeship law. 
That first year, Wisconsin had 625 apprentices, and its state law 
became a model for the National Apprenticeship Act in 1937--the first 
federal apprenticeship law. Building on a century of success, Wisconsin 
now has over 11,000 active apprentices and 2,500 employers in 
construction, industrial trades, utilities, healthcare, service trades, 
and IT.
  Congress should continue to build on the Registered Apprenticeship 
system to extend workforce training opportunities to more workers--
especially women, people of color, and those from disadvantaged 
communities. Congress should also seek to integrate apprenticeship 
readiness programs, secondary and post-secondary education systems, and 
support services to ensure that more workers and employers can 
participate successfully in Registered Apprenticeships. Most 
importantly, Congress must uphold the strong standards for Registered 
Apprenticeship so that apprentices have confidence that they will have 
their rights protected and receive transferable, nationally recognized 
credentials.

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