Industry Would Govern Apprenticeships In Labor Department Plan

The Labor Department wants to overhaul the nation’s apprenticeship training system by handing industry groups and employers significant latitude to design and certify their own federally assisted programs with minimal government oversight, according to a draft proposal obtained by Bloomberg Law.

The draft regulation, which has not been made public and is still undergoing edits as it awaits final White House approval, would establish a new certification process for what will be known as Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs. IRAP is intended to streamline and expand the earn-as-you-learn system by removing bureaucratic barriers that exist in the Labor Department’s longstanding registered apprenticeship ...