Tillis bill targets expanding apprenticeship-training opportunities for veterans

Legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) would streamline the approval process for apprenticeship programs operating in multiple states to broaden job-training opportunities for military veterans.

Non-federal apprenticeship programs operating in more than one state currently have to navigate certification processes in each state, which subjects employers to added paperwork and reviews.

The Veteran Apprenticeship and Labor Opportunity Reform (VALOR) Act, which Tillis introduced with U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), would establish a single, streamlined process for apprenticeship programs operating across state lines to encourage employers to expand job training opportunities.

“Hiring veterans in the private sector should be as easy as possible, and Congress needs to do its part to increase opportunities for veterans in our workforce,” Tillis said. “It is unnecessary to force businesses to register in every state of operation, and the VALOR Act is common sense legislation that will reduce this burdensome requirement so apprenticeship programs will be more accessible to veterans.”

Requiring employers to register apprenticeship programs in each state is a needlessly burdensome requirement, Cotton said.

“It also has the perverse effect of making it harder to hire veterans,” Cotton added. “This legislation will cut through the red tape and help put more veterans in apprenticeship programs.”