Bill Overview
Title: Developing America’s Workforce Act
Description: This bill requires the Department of Labor to establish a process to identify industry-recognized apprenticeship programs for purposes of the National Apprenticeship Act.
Sponsors: Rep. Good, Bob [R-VA-5]
Target Audience
Population: People Involved or Interested in Apprenticeship Programs Worldwide
Estimated Size: 1500000
- The bill aims to establish a process for identifying industry-recognized apprenticeship programs.
- Apprenticeship programs are applicable across various sectors such as manufacturing, information technology, healthcare, and construction.
- Globally, many countries have apprenticeship systems similar to the United States, which suggests a broad interest in the concept.
- Countries with large manufacturing bases, growing tech industries, or needing skilled labor could implement similar systems.
Reasoning
- The Developed America's Workforce Act will leverage a portion of the $50,000,000 in year 1 to enhance existing and develop new apprenticeship programs. The policy will primarily affect people who are currently or considering enrolling in these programs, as well as businesses and industries that employ apprentices.
- Given that there are over 23,000 apprenticeship programs already in the US and more than 600,000 new apprentices yearly, the act is likely to directly impact these groups by providing higher quality training and better matching of apprentices to industries.
- Industries like healthcare, IT, manufacturing, and construction, which heavily utilize apprenticeship programs, stand to benefit significantly from a more structured process for apprenticeship recognition.
- Some segments of the population will experience no immediate effect, particularly those in industries not utilizing apprenticeship programs.
- Due to budget constraints, not every company or individual that might benefit will experience direct impacts, at least in the initial years.
Simulated Interviews
Software Developer Apprentice (Seattle, WA)
Age: 25 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm excited about formal recognition of my apprenticeship program as it will add credibility.
- I hope the program expansion also means better training resources.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Automotive Technician (Detroit, MI)
Age: 31 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The recognition of the program will help future employment prospects.
- More structured training could improve my skill set.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Electrician (Dallas, TX)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Apprenticeship program recognition is necessary for industry standards.
- I hope this increases the number of apprentices in our field.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Healthcare Assistant Apprenticeship (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm glad for the recognition; it should improve job prospects after completion.
- More defined pathways would help in making career decisions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Construction Company Owner (Miami, FL)
Age: 56 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Formal recognition makes it easier to justify on-the-job training costs.
- Could make attracting talented apprentices easier.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
IT Specialist (New York, NY)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope it increases the competency of individuals I work with.
- Indirect benefits are possible through a more skilled workforce.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Manufacturing Supervisor (Chicago, IL)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Recognition could lead to more investment in our training programs.
- It may also help in standardizing training across locations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
High School Student (Philadelphia, PA)
Age: 19 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy sounds like it will create more opportunities once I graduate.
- Having a more recognized program is appealing.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Policy Analyst (Raleigh, NC)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policy could help streamline workforce entry pathways.
- Concerned with efficient use of funds and wide impact.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
HR Director at a Large Tech Firm (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 48 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Happy to see more formal recognition of apprentice programs.
- Hope it streamlines talent acquisition.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $60000000)
Year 2: $45000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $55000000)
Year 3: $40000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $50000000)
Year 5: $30000000 (Low: $25000000, High: $40000000)
Year 10: $30000000 (Low: $25000000, High: $40000000)
Year 100: $30000000 (Low: $25000000, High: $40000000)
Key Considerations
- Coordination between the Department of Labor and various industry stakeholders will be crucial in successfully implementing this program.
- The effectiveness of the program may depend on the participation and adoption rates among industries.
- Administrating this process requires detailed and comprehensive planning to cater to various apprenticeship models across different sectors.