State-Led, Federal Impact
A new apprenticeship project, backed by the Labor Department, aims to create more consistent standards across states for training, must-have skills, and what counts as a high-impact job. Also, confusion persists around the federal move to bar undocumented students from college career and technical education. (Subscribe here.)
Growing Apprenticeship Amid Federal Freeze
The U.S. Department of Labor is backing a new initiative focused on helping states get on the same page about apprenticeship, including what count as in-demand jobs—and what people need to know to do them.
The Backdrop: The move was announced several days before the government shut down this week over a spending impasse in Congress. Most workforce grants and cooperative agreements through the Labor Department will continue for now, according to guidance put out by the agency, although that could change the longer the shutdown continues. The Labor Department has already furloughed 76% of its workforce, while it’s 87% at the Education Department, according to The New York Times.
