The Beltway Buzz is a weekly update summarizing labor and
employment news from inside the Beltway and clarifying how
what's happening in Washington, D.C. could impact your
business.
IRAPs Arrive. On June 24, 2019, the U.S.
Department of Labor's (DOL) Employment and Training
Administration issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM)
"to advance the development of high-quality,
industry-recognized apprenticeship programs (IRAPs)." The
regulations implement President Trump's 2017 executive order
titled
Expanding Apprenticeships in America. The proposal establishes
a new program in which Standards Recognition Entities (e.g., trade
groups, educational institutes, government entities, labor unions,
and nonprofits) set standards for training, structure, and
curricula for IRAPs. According to the proposal, an "industry-led, market-driven
approach would provide the flexibility necessary to scale the
apprenticeship model in new areas and address America's skills
gap
