Statement on Presidential Executive Order on Apprenticeships

WASHINGTON – The National Association of State Workforce Agencies’ (NASWA) statement following the release of the president’s executive order expanding apprenticeships:

“We are encouraged to see President Trump’s executive order expanding investment in apprenticeships, which has been core element of our 2017 Legislative Priorities. Apprenticeships are an essential component of the nation’s workforce system and we look forward to continuing our dialogue with the administration to maximize their effectiveness for employers in need of skilled workers.

However, apprenticeships are only one component of our nation’s workforce system and we remain deeply concerned with the administration’s proposed 40 percent funding cuts for public workforce services, which would undercut the foundation of our business-led workforce system. If these cuts were enacted, over 9 million Americans would not receive vitally needed job training, reemployment assistance, skills improvement and other important workforce services.

Additionally, we are disappointed that the Executive Order includes language stating “workforce development programs are not effectively serving American workers.” This past year alone, these programs served over 22.7 million jobseekers and employers and nearly 7 out of 10 jobseekers who utilized the public workforce system found employment.

NASWA will continue to work with Congress and the administration to demonstrate how investments in the state workforce system have always yielded a strong return – and why these investments should be continued to support quality jobs and self-sufficiency for many more Americans."