President Donald Trump today signed an Executive Order titled “PREPARING AMERICANS FOR HIGH-PAYING SKILLED TRADE JOBS OF THE FUTURE,” directing key federal agencies to undertake a significant review and proposed restructuring of the nation’s workforce development programs with a focus on skilled trades and emerging industries.
The order outlines the administration’s policy to “optimize and target Federal investments in workforce development to align with our country’s reindustrialization needs and equip American workers to fill the growing demand for skilled trades and other occupations.” It specifically highlights a commitment to protecting and strengthening Registered Apprenticeships.
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Under the directive, the Secretaries of Labor, Commerce, and Education are tasked with a comprehensive review of all federal workforce development programs. Within 90 days, they must submit a report identifying strategies to enhance worker preparedness. This report is required to pinpoint opportunities for integrating systems, realigning resources based on the skill needs identified by prospective employers, and proposing administrative reforms, process improvements, and potential program restructuring or consolidation.
A critical component of the 90-day report is the identification of federal programs or related spending deemed ineffective, along with proposals to reform, redirect funding from, or eliminate them. The report must also explore strategies for promoting alternative credentials and assessments, outside of traditional 4-year college degrees, that can be directly mapped to employer skill requirements. Additionally, it calls for identifying opportunities to invest in upskilling current workers, including training related to the use of Artificial Intelligence in the workplace.
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Furthermore, the Executive Order sets a separate deadline of 120 days for the same three Secretaries to submit a plan specifically aimed at expanding Registered Apprenticeships. The ambitious goal is to reach and surpass 1 million new active apprentices.
The plan must detail how to expand apprenticeships into new and emerging industries, scale the proven model nationwide, and improve connections between the education system, including programs like the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins V) and Federal student aid, and Registered Apprenticeships.
The order also pushed the importance of transparency and accountability. It directs the Secretaries to improve public access to information on the performance outcomes of federally supported workforce development programs and credentials, including clear data on participants’ earnings and employment.
According to the text, the Executive Order is intended to maximize investments in America’s “reindustrialization and economic growth” by ensuring the American worker is “fully equipped” to produce world-class products and implement world-leading technologies, while also streamlining federal programs currently seen as fragmented and disconnected from high-demand jobs.
The order notes that its implementation is subject to applicable law and the availability of appropriations, and it does not create any enforceable rights for individuals. It underscores the administration’s focus on vocational training, apprenticeships, and aligning workforce development efforts directly with the stated needs of employers and the broader economic goal of reindustrialization.
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