    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 134, 116th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Proclamation 10116 of November 6, 2020
    National Apprenticeship Week, 2020
    By the President of the United States of America
    A Proclamation
    Apprenticeships provide American workers tangible skills and an
    industry-recognized credential. They strengthen our Nation's economy and
    help millions of men and women provide for their families without taking
    on the financial burden of student loans and other related debt. During
    National Apprenticeship Week, we celebrate the American workers who
    create a brighter future for themselves and their families through
    apprenticeships, and we further our commitment to bolstering opportunity
    as we continue our economic comeback.
    For decades, politicians and bureaucrats in Washington neglected
    workers, shipped jobs overseas, and abandoned essential manufacturing
    industries. When I took office, I reversed these policies and pledged to
    always put the American economy, labor force, and worker first. Under my
    leadership, we have cut taxes, removed burdensome regulations on
    businesses, and renegotiated our trade deals, all of which led to
    historic job creation and economic growth. Apprenticeships are a pillar
    of our effort to continue this trend, and my Administration remains
    committed to supporting initiatives that empower Americans and prepare
    our workers to compete and thrive in a 21st-century economy.
    Since taking office, my Administration has worked tirelessly to empower
    more Americans with the benefits of apprenticeships and the skills they
    provide. In June of 2017, I signed an Executive Order on Expanding
    Apprenticeships in America. Under my leadership, the Department of Labor
    has awarded $80 million across 42 States and territories for
    occupational skills education for American students and workers, 800,000
    Americans have joined apprenticeship programs, and we are well on the
    way to meeting my goal of 1 million new apprentices by September of next
    year. In Fiscal Year 2019 alone, we registered more than 250,000 new
    apprentices in vital industries, including advanced manufacturing,
    financial services, educational services, transportation, healthcare,
    and informational technology. My Administration also recently launched
    the Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Program model, which provides
    opportunities for industry-led, market-driven training that expands
    workforce development and opens windows to well-paying jobs in high-
    demand industries. In recognition of our Nation's obligation to our
    military men and women, my Administration has also expanded the United
    Services Military Apprenticeship

    [[Page 5417]]

    Program across all branches, providing
    apprenticeship opportunities to our service members while they are still
    on active duty to help them prepare for prosperous and fulfilling lives
    after their time in uniform.
    My Administration will also continue to work with industry partners to
    provide workers with the skills they need to succeed in today's economy
    through the Pledge to America's Workers. This initiative recently proved
    essential as our Nation confronted the unprecedented challenges of the
    coronavirus pandemic. As part of our ongoing response, we launched the
    largest industrial mobilization since World War II, and thousands of new
    apprentices answered the call for skilled
    labor in key sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, cybersecurity, and
    information technology. These efforts demonstrate that, when government
    allows the free market to respond, the spirit of the American worker and
    the strength and resolve of America's economy will overcome any
    challenge.
    This week, we recommit to bolstering economic opportunity through
    apprenticeships. I encourage individuals, business leaders, and
    government officials to support hardworking Americans and their families
    through expanding apprenticeship education and training, recognizing the
    essential role apprenticeships play in sustaining our national economy.
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
    America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
    the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 8 through
    November 14, 2020, as National Apprenticeship Week.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of
    November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
    fifth.
    DONALD J. TRUMP