WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration announced Thursday that it is providing $244 million to expand and modernize the federal government’s registered apprenticeship program, an effort to get more people into better-paying jobs that don’t require a college degree.
White House domestic policy adviser Neera Tanden and acting Labor Secretary Julie Su announced the financial commitment in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The funding is the largest amount in the history of the training program. The money will go to 32 states and 52 grantees.
After President Joe Biden’s penniless answers in the June 27 debate against Donald Trump, his team has sought to focus more on the contrast between his policies and what the Republicans have to offer, hoping that substance will prevail over style and age in the November presidential election.
“This is really a stark contrast to what Republicans are doing,” Tanden said. “While previous administrations tried to talk about it or use it as a talking point, this administration has really done something.”
The House Republican budget proposes 47 percent cuts to the apprenticeship program, even as employers say they need more skilled workers. The low unemployment rate of 4.1 percent has prompted many companies to say they cannot fill jobs in construction, manufacturing and other sectors.
According to the latest figures from the Labor Department, there are 641,044 registered apprenticeships. That’s an escalate from the Trump administration, when apprenticeships peaked at 569,311 in 2020.
Both Biden and Trump have promised to improve opportunities for workers. Biden’s policies to encourage modern factories for computer chips, batteries and other products have been accompanied by a surge in construction spending on manufacturing facilities, but companies say they need more workers to make those projects successful.
