[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 243 (Monday, December 19, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 91952-91953]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30486]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Notice of Intent To Renew the Advisory Committee on 
Apprenticeship (ACA) Charter

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Labor has determined that the renewal of the 
Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship is necessary and in the public 
interest. The Department of Labor intends to renew the ACA Charter with 
revisions. The revisions are not intended to change the purpose or the 
Committee's original intent. The revisions are a routine updating of 
the Charter to ensure closer alignment with the Department's current 
apprenticeship expansion goals.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Designated Federal Officer, Mr. 
Daniel Villao, Deputy Administrator for National Office Policy, Office 
of Apprenticeship, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. 
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room C-5321, 
Washington, DC 20210, Telephone: (202) 693-2796 (this is not a toll-
free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Registered Apprenticeship is a unique public 
private partnership that is highly dependent on the engagement and 
involvement of its stakeholders and partners for its ongoing 
operational effectiveness. Apart from the ACA, there is no single 
organization or group with the broad representation of labor, 
employers, and the public available to consider the complexities and 
relationship of apprenticeship activities to other training efforts or 
to provide advice on such matters to the Secretary. It is particularly 
important to have such considerations at this time in light of the 
current national interest in apprenticeship and the Department of 
Labor's goal to double the number of apprentices across the country, in 
the next five years by expanding into a variety of non-traditional 
industries. The ACA's insight and recommendations on the best ways to 
grow apprenticeship to meet the emerging skill needs of employers is 
critical. For these reasons, the Secretary of Labor has determined that 
the renewal of a national advisory committee on apprenticeship is 
necessary and in the public interest. The ACA Charter is being renewed 
to

[[Page 91953]]

provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary on the following: 
(1) The development and implementation of policies, legislation and 
regulations affecting the National Registered Apprenticeship system; 
(2) strategies that can expand the use of the Registered Apprenticeship 
model in non-traditional industries such as, but not limited to, 
Hospitality, Financial Services, Transportation/Logistics, Healthcare, 
Energy, Advanced Manufacturing, and Information Technology and 
Communications; (3) ways to more effectively partner with the public 
workforce system, workforce intermediaries, International 
apprenticeship partners, and educational institutions and communities 
to leverage Registered Apprenticeship as a valued post-secondary 
credential; including policies related to the Registered Apprenticeship 
College Consortium; (4) priorities and strategic investments to help in 
the development of career pathways that can generate access for 
everyone and sustained employment for new and incumbent workers, youth, 
Veterans, women, minorities and other under-utilized and disadvantaged 
populations; and (5) efforts to improve performance, quality and 
oversight, and utilization of the National Registered Apprenticeship 
system. The current ACA Charter will expire on January 14, 2017. The 
ACA's Charter is required to be renewed every two years. Since the 
Charter was last renewed in January 2015, it has been revised in four 
sections to ensure alignment with departmental priorities. The 
following four sections have been updated (1) Objectives and Scope of 
Activities; (2) Designated Federal Officer; and (3) Representation 
under the Membership and Designation; and (4) Recordkeeping.

Summary of the Changes

    1. Objectives and Scope of Activities: The objectives and scope 
section of the ACA Charter outlines the areas of focus where the ACA 
will provide advice and recommendations. ETA is expanding and engaging 
with non-traditional apprenticeship partners, such as workforce 
intermediaries, and international partners. ETA also seeks to have 
ongoing engagement and feedback from the ACA on the impact of funding 
investments being made under the ApprenticeshipUSA initiative. The 
current ACA Charter states that the ACA will advise on ways to more 
effectively partner with the public workforce system, educational 
institutions and communities to leverage Registered Apprenticeship as a 
valued post-secondary credential. The proposed ACA Charter is being 
updated to reflect ETA's efforts to expand its partnerships to include 
workforce intermediaries, and interested partners from the 
international apprenticeship community. The proposed Charter is further 
updated to include the need for the ACA provide advice and 
recommendations on the impact of priorities and strategic investments 
being made under ApprenticeshipUSA.
    2. Designated Federal Officer: The Designated Federal Officer (DFO) 
section of the Charter is being updated to reflect leadership changes 
within ETA and subsequent shift of the DFO responsibilities from the 
Administrator of the Office of Apprenticeship to the Deputy 
Administrator for National Office Policy from the Office of 
Apprenticeship.
    3. Representation: The Representation section of the Charter is 
being updated to better align the ACA membership with the ACA's focus 
on Registered Apprenticeship. NAGLO does not focus solely on Registered 
Apprenticeship matters. The Representation section of the Charter is 
being further updated to streamline the number of ex-officio members 
from Federal agencies represented on the ACA. The current Charter 
reflects ex-officio membership for five Federal agencies: The U.S. 
Departments of (1) Commerce, (2) Education, (3) Energy, (4) Health and 
Human Services, and (5) Labor. A major part of ETA's apprenticeship 
expansion focuses on expanding Registered Apprenticeship as a premiere 
workforce development strategy among businesses, workforce development 
entities, post-secondary institutions, Career and Technical Education 
and other educational institutions. The proposed Charter is being 
updated to streamline the number of Federal agencies represented on the 
ACA to the Departments of Commerce, Education, and Labor. ETA will 
continue to engage with other Federal agencies as appropriate.
    4. Recordkeeping: The Recordkeeping section of the Charter is being 
updated to reflect changes to the General Records Schedule for advisory 
committees. The current Charter states that the records of the ACA 
shall be handled in accordance with the General Records Schedule 26, 
item 2 and the approved records disposition schedule for the Employment 
and Training Administration. The proposed Charter is being updated to 
reflect changes in the General Records Schedule for advisory 
committees; records of the ACA will be handled in accordance with 
General Records Schedule 6.2, Federal Advisory Committee Records, and 
the approved records disposition schedule for the Employment and 
Training Administration.

    Signed at Washington, DC.
Portia Wu,
Assistant Secretary for the Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 2016-30486 Filed 12-16-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-FR-P