Scott, Murray, Cantwell, Collins, Booker Introduce Resolution Commemorating National Apprenticeship Week

Today, U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-SC),Patty Murray (D-WA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced a bipartisan resolution in the Senate designating the week of November 2, 2015, National Apprenticeship Week. The resolution highlights that apprenticeships are an important pathway for workers, providing them with nationally and industry recognized credentials, which leads to higher earnings and develops a highly skilled workforce.

Read the resolution here.

“I am proud to work with my colleagues to help emphasize apprenticeship programs, as these programs allow students to not only gain new skills, but to earn while they learn. To ensure our global competitiveness and create more good paying jobs, America’s workforce must have access to new opportunities and the skills, training and education that allows them to compete. These hands on programs can be credited for helping grow our workforce in industries from advanced manufacturing to healthcare to tourism to energy – a solid foundation for a strong economic future,”said Senator Scott.

“As we work to build an economy that works for all families, apprenticeship programs are a critical part of ensuring workers have the skills necessary to compete in the 21^st century global economy,”said Senator Murray. “Workers in Washington state and across the country have benefitted from access to apprenticeships, and I am going to continue fighting for investments in these programs.”

“Over the next ten years, we will need nearly 13,000 new aerospace workers. We must prioritize training the next generation of workers, which is why I have introduced legislation to provide a tax credit for companies that create or expand their apprenticeship programs. National Apprenticeship Week will help raise awareness for the value of these earn-while-you-learn experiences and help us meet the increasing demand for a highly skilled and trained workforce,” said Senator Cantwell.

“Americans have a work ethic and desire to succeed that is unsurpassed,”said Senator Collins. “Forward-looking, successful apprenticeship programs in Maine and across our country help to ensure our workers have the right education, skills, and training to compete for rewarding careers in the 21st century workforce.”

“Apprenticeships are a proven, cost-effective way to connect more workers, especially younger workers, with the on-the-job skills businesses need to compete in today’s knowledge-based global economy. That’s why Sen. Tim Scott and I teamed up to introduce bipartisan legislation that gives employers incentives to make critical investments in workforce development while tackling our unacceptably high youth unemployment rate. Today, I am pleased to join my colleagues to introduce this bipartisan resolution that demonstrates the value of apprenticeships to help young people in states like New Jersey and all across this country,” said Senator Booker.

In 2012, Mathematica Policy Research found that for apprenticeship programs in 10 states, individuals who completed the programs increased their earnings by more than $240,000 over their careers, compared with individuals who did not participate in registered apprenticeship programs. In addition, the research estimated that registered apprenticeship programs generated $27 per federal tax dollar invested.

Additional cosponsors of the resolution: Senators Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chris Coons (D-DE), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Al Franken (D-MN), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).