Apprenticeship Pathways Act of 2025
The Apprenticeship Pathways Act of 2025 would direct the Secretary of Labor, working with the Secretary of Education, to enter into contracts with industry intermediaries to promote the development of and access to apprenticeships and related pre-apprenticeship programs for secondary school students. The bill establishes a competitive grant-like system where intermediaries apply for contracts to run activities that connect high-need students with registered apprenticeships (and pre-apprenticeships) in occupations including building trades, health care, technology, teaching, manufacturing, and related fields. Key features include targeted priority among applicants, intent to provide wraparound and support services (including child care, tutoring, and career services), and a subsidy that would cover 50% of apprentice wages during the apprenticeship. Funding would come from appropriations authorized by the bill, with broad authorization for necessary sums. In short, the bill aims to create a national-through-local network of industry intermediaries that actively recruit and support secondary students—especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds or rural areas—to enter registered apprenticeship programs in high-need occupations, with substantial supports and wage subsidies intended to reduce barriers to participation.
Key Points
- 1Purpose and structure: Establishes contracts (grants) with industry intermediaries to develop and expand apprenticeships and related pre-apprenticeships for secondary school students, in coordination with the Department of Labor and Education, funded by appropriations authorized in the bill.
- 2Eligibility and selection: Intermediaries apply with proposed activities; awards are competitive. Priority is given to programs targeting high-need student populations, including rural high-need districts, students eligible for free/reduced-price lunch, disconnected youth, Indian children, women in building trades/tech, and individuals with disabilities.
- 3Use of funds: Intermediaries may use funds for a wide array of activities—developing and provisioning apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships, recruiting employer partners, coaching and life/soft skills, wraparound supports (including transportation, childcare-related assistance, tutoring, and career services), tracking progress, orientation/training, and paying 50% of apprentice wages for the duration of the apprenticeship. Goods and services such as tuition assistance, tools, PPE, and technology are also eligible.
- 4Occupations of high need: Focus areas include building trades (carpentry, plumbing, welding, electrician, etc.), architectural/engineering drafting and design, health care (EMTs, phlebotomists, LPNs, etc.), teaching (early childhood educators), technology (computer science, data science, fabrication tech, product management), and manufacturing.
- 5Definitions: Establishes key terms (e.g., apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, industry intermediary, disconnected youth, high-need occupations) to set scope and eligibility. Also clarifies that “apprenticeship” must be a program registered under the National Apprenticeship Act.
- 6Funding authority: Authorized to appropriate such sums as necessary to carry out the section, giving broad funding flexibility to support program activities.