U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) on Nov. 18 signed on as an original cosponsor of a bipartisan resolution that would designate the week beginning Nov. 15, 2021, as National Apprenticeship Week.
“I am proud to join my bipartisan colleagues in introducing this resolution to celebrate the value and importance of apprenticeships,” Rep. Fitzpatrick said. “In a time when our country is facing pressing workforce challenges, apprenticeship programs can grow our economy and close the skills gap by providing on-the-job training that will prepare the next generation of workers for in-demand, high paying careers.”
House Resolution (H.Res.) 816, which is sponsored by U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY), would recognize the important role that apprenticeships play in developing a highly skilled workforce and would commend the businesses and organizations that actively support apprenticeship programs, according to a summary provided by the lawmakers.
Registered apprenticeships are increasingly innovative and diverse in their design, their collaboration with local community partnerships, and their use of emerging educational and training concepts, including competency-based learning, and will continue to evolve to meet the emerging demands of a 21st century workforce, according to the text of the resolution.
Additionally, the resolution would recognize them as “critical elements of an effective workforce development system and help individuals attain a recognized postsecondary credential, contributing to their personal economic mobility,” the text says.
“Apprenticeships ensure that workers are career-ready and set up for long-term success,” said Rep. Rice. “This week is about raising awareness and expanding the reach of these critical workforce development programs that provide the strong foundation our economy needs for sustained growth.”