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DeLauro Calls On Labor Secretary to Support Apprenticeship Funding

August 10, 2017

WASHINGTON, DC (August 10, 2017) Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today wrote to U.S. Secretary of Labor, Alexander Acosta, calling on his agency to continue supporting current Apprenticeship grantees. The Apprenticeship Grant program, created in fiscal year 2016, helps connect businesses to workers with the skills necessary to fill jobs in a variety of industries.

"At a time when the economic security of working Americans is so vital, we must enact policy that ensures everyone can benefit from the economic recovery, and that everyone has the training they need to get good jobs with fair wages," wrote DeLauro. "The advantage for workers with more than a high school diploma is clear—but we need to shift our thinking to not only focus on degrees—but also on in-demand skills and credentials to solve the biggest economic issue of our time—that too many people do not make enough to live on."

"In Connecticut, more than 1,700 employers employ over 5,500 apprentices in registered apprenticeship programs and the majority of the training programs are in the construction and manufacturing industry," continued DeLauro. "In fiscal year 2016, Connecticut was awarded $1.6 million to expand apprenticeships to new sectors and reach out to new employers to expand access to apprenticeships statewide. It serves 1,672 apprentices in diverse fields such as advanced manufacturing, health care, and information technology."

The full letter is available here.