Apprenticeship in the United States:
Frequently Asked Questions

Benjamin Collins
Analyst in Labor Policy
August 25, 2015
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
R44174


Apprenticeship in the United States: Frequently Asked Questions

Summary
Apprenticeship is a job training strategy that combines on-the-job training with related
instruction, typically provided in a classroom setting. This report answers frequently asked
questions about apprenticeship and the federal activities that support this training approach.
This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) report focuses on the Registered Apprenticeship system,
through which the U.S. Department of Labor (or a recognized state apprenticeship agency)
certifies a program as meeting certain federal requirements related to duration, intensity, and
benefit to the apprentice. This FAQ report also discusses federal programs for which supporting
apprenticeship activities is an allowable, but not required, use of funds.
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Apprenticeship in the United States: Frequently Asked Questions

Contents
Background and General Information ............................................................................................. 1
What is apprenticeship? ............................................................................................................ 1
What is a Registered Apprenticeship? ....................................................................................... 1
How are State Apprenticeship Agencies recognized? ............................................................... 1
What occupations use Registered Apprenticeships? ................................................................. 1
How long does a Registered Apprenticeship last? .................................................................... 2
How many Registered Apprenticeships are there? .................................................................... 2
What incentives exist for apprenticeship sponsors? .................................................................. 2
Standards and Registration .............................................................................................................. 3
What are the standards of a Registered Apprenticeship? .......................................................... 3
How does the registration process work? .................................................................................. 3
Federal Support for Apprenticeship ................................................................................................. 4
What federal agencies support Registered Apprenticeship? ..................................................... 4
What federal funding directly supports apprenticeship? ........................................................... 4
What other federal programs may support Registered Apprenticeship? ................................... 4

Contacts
Author Contact Information ............................................................................................................ 5

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Background and General Information
What is apprenticeship?
Apprenticeship is a workforce development strategy that trains an individual in a specific
occupation using a combination of on-the-job training and related instruction. Related instruction
is usually conducted in a classroom setting.
What are Registered Apprenticeships?
Registered Apprenticeships are apprenticeship programs that have been certified (“registered”) by
an applicable government agency as meeting specified standards. In 25 states, the registering
agency is the federal Office of Apprenticeship (OA) at the Department of Labor (DOL). In the
remaining 25 states, a state apprenticeship agency (SAA) is responsible for registering programs.1
The typical federal role in Registered Apprenticeships is the approval, regulation, and oversight
of private sector programs. The federal government does not typically provide dedicated,
recurring financial support to apprenticeship sponsors or apprentices.2
How are State Apprenticeship Agencies recognized?
SAAs must go through a recognition process with the U.S. Department of Labor.3 Once
recognized by DOL, SAAs have the authority to approve and register apprenticeships.
Among other requirements, a prospective SAA’s application to DOL must include a description of
the basic standards, criteria, and requirements for apprenticeship program registration and/or
approval. An SAA must demonstrate its alignment and coordination with the state’s economic
development strategies and federally funded workforce system. An SAA must also partner with a
State Apprenticeship Council (SAC). The SAC must consist of an equal number of
representatives of employer and employee organizations.
What occupations use Registered Apprenticeships?
Regulations define an apprenticeable occupation as an occupation that is specified by industry
and which must
 involve skills that are customarily learned in a practical way through a structured,
systematic program of on-the-job supervised learning;
 be clearly identified and commonly recognized throughout an industry;
 involve the progressive attainment of manual, mechanical, or technical skills and
knowledge which, in accordance with the industry standard for the occupation,

1 State apprenticeship agencies are approved by DOL. The District of Columbia and Guam operate SAAs. In Puerto
Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DOL operates an Office of Apprenticeship.
2 The federal government has directly supported apprenticeship sponsors through occasional competitive grant
programs. Further, there are some regular federal funding streams for which supporting apprenticeship is an allowable
use of funds. There are also some irregular streams that target apprenticeship. These funding sources are discussed in
the “Federal Support for Apprenticeship” section.
3 For more detailed information on the recognition process for SAAs, see 29 C.F.R. 29.13.
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would require the completion of at least 2,000 hours of on-the-job learning to
attain; and
 require related instruction to supplement the on-the-job learning.4
DOL publishes a list of more than 1,000 occupations in a variety of industries that can register an
apprenticeship.5 In practice, the occupations with the largest number of apprentices tend to be in
the skilled trades and construction. In FY2014, the three occupations with the largest number of
apprentices were electrician, carpenter, and plumber.6
How long do Registered Apprenticeships last?
The durations of Registered Apprenticeships vary, though the Office of Apprenticeship has stated
that the most common length is four years.7 After completing a Registered Apprenticeship, the
apprentice receives a Certificate of Completion of Apprenticeship, which is a nationally
recognized credential.
How many Registered Apprenticeships are there?
In FY2014, DOL reported approximately 410,000 active apprentices in about 19,000 active
Registered Apprenticeship programs. These data include approximately 95,000 active apprentices
in the United Services Military Apprenticeship Program who are active duty members of the
Armed Forces.8
These data are limited to apprenticeships that are registered with the federal government or a
federally approved SAA. There are likely other workforce programs that combine on-the-job
training and related instruction but do not meet Registered Apprenticeship requirements or
otherwise have not registered with a certifying agency. There is no systematic way to track the
prevalence or characteristics of these “unregistered” programs.
What incentives exist for apprenticeship sponsors?
As noted above, the federal government does not typically provide dedicated financial support to
apprenticeship sponsors. However, sponsors and apprentices may access support through other
education and employment programs. (See “What other federal programs may support Registered
Apprenticeship?”
)
Employers with Registered Apprenticeships may also receive distinct treatment in federal
contracts. For example, workers enrolled in a Registered Apprenticeship program and employed
on a federal construction project may not be subject to full prevailing wage requirements under
the Davis-Bacon and related acts.9
Some states provide state-funded support for apprenticeship sponsors and programs.

4 See 29 C.F.R. 29.4.
5 See the full list at http://www.doleta.gov/OA/occupations.cfm.
6 U.S. Department of Labor, “Federal Data: Top 25 Occupations for Fiscal Year 2014,” http://doleta.gov/oa/
data_statistics.cfm.
7 See Department of Labor, “Registered Apprenticeship FAQs,” http://www.doleta.gov/oa/faqs.cfm.
8 See “Registered Apprenticeship National Results, Fiscal Year 2014,” http://doleta.gov/oa/data_statistics.cfm.
9 For more information, see DOL Wage and House Division Fact Sheet #66: The Davis-Bacon and Related Acts,
http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs66.htm.
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Apprenticeship in the United States: Frequently Asked Questions

Standards and Registration Process
What are the standards of a Registered Apprenticeship?
Regulations establish a set of standards that must be met for an apprenticeship to be registered.
Apprenticeship sponsors establish compliance with these standards through a written plan.
Provisions of the plan include10
 standards for the on-the-job component of the program (a time-based approach of
at least 2,000 hours, a competency-based approach, or a hybrid of the two);
 an outline of the work processes in which the apprentice will receive supervised
work experience and the time spent on each process;
 a description of at least 144 hours per year of related instruction in technical
subjects related to the occupation;11
 a description of periodic review of the apprentice’s performance on the job and in
related instruction;
 a schedule of progressively increasing wages for the apprentice with an entry
level that is at least minimum wage;
 establishment of a probationary period that does not exceed 25% of the length of
the program or one year, whichever is shorter;
 provision of safety training and assurance of safe equipment and facilities for on-
the-job training as well as related instruction; and
 recognition of successful completion through a certificate issued by the
registration agency.
How does the registration process work?
To register an apprenticeship program, a sponsor submits a written description of its
apprenticeship program for a specified occupation to the applicable state or federal registration
agency. The registration agency then determines if the occupation is eligible and if the program is
in compliance with the standards of apprenticeship.
If the program meets the regulatory standards, it is given provisional approval for one year. After
one year, the registration agency may make the approval permanent or it can continue provisional
approval for the remainder of the first training cycle. If the program is not meeting its regulatory
requirements after the provisional year, it can be recommended for deregistration.

10 For full standards, see 29 C.F.R. 29.5. Standards listed in this report emphasize programmatic aspects. Part 29.5 also
includes a number of administrative requirements.
11 Tuition and other expenses related to classroom instruction can be paid by the apprentice or the program sponsor.
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Apprenticeship in the United States: Frequently Asked Questions

Federal Support for Apprenticeship
What federal agencies support Registered Apprenticeship?
The primary federal actor in apprenticeship is OA, which is part of DOL. OA is not specifically
authorized in statute, but it carries out DOL’s responsibilities to protect the welfare of apprentices,
as established by the National Apprenticeship Act of 1937.12
OA’s primary responsibilities are approving new apprenticeships, ensuring compliance in existing
apprenticeships, performing outreach to new sponsors, and providing technical support for
sponsors developing programs. OA typically does not provide direct financial support or
incentives to apprenticeship sponsors.
What federal funding directly supports apprenticeship?
OA receives an annual appropriation for operating costs. FY2015 appropriations were about $31
million. Between FY2010 and FY2014, appropriations varied from $26.2 million to $27.8
million.
In recent years, Congress has appropriated approximately $1 million annually under the Women
in Apprenticeship and Non-Traditional Occupations Act (WANTO, P.L. 102-530). This funding
supports technical assistance to employers and labor unions to assist them in placing women in
apprenticeable occupations and occupations where women make up less than 25% of the
workforce.13
In 2015, DOL solicited applications for competitive American Apprenticeship Grants. Total
funding for the grants is projected to be about $100 million. These grants support public-private
partnerships to develop or expand apprenticeships in high-growth industries.14 The grants were
funded by immigration visa fees, not congressional appropriations.15 It is unclear if this was a
one-time competition or if DOL will conduct similar competitions in subsequent years with the
same funding source.
What other federal programs may support Registered
Apprenticeship?
There are several federal programs in which supporting apprenticeship is an allowable use of
funds.16 In many cases, these programs support the related instruction portion of the

12 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq. The National Apprenticeship Act is also known as the Fitzgerald Act. It has been subject to very
limited revision since its enactment in 1937.
13 For more information on the WANTO program and recent uses of its funding, see its subsection in the Training and
Employment Services section of the FY2016 DOL Budget Justification, http://www.dol.gov/dol/budget/2016/PDF/
CBJ-2016-V1-04.pdf, beginning on page TES-121.
14 More information on DOL’s American Apprenticeship Grants is available at http://www.dol.gov/apprenticeship/
grants.htm. The full Funding Opportunity Announcement is at https://www.dol.gov/dol/grants/FOA-ETA-15-02.pdf.
15 A portion of the fees associated with certain immigration visas supports workforce development activities. In
practice, these activities have varied and 2015 marked the first time that they were dedicated to apprenticeship.
Statutory direction for these activities is at 29 U.S.C. 3224a.
16 For a more detailed description of these uses, see The Federal Resources Playbook for Registered Apprenticeship at
http://www.doleta.gov/oa/federalresources/playbook.pdf.
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Apprenticeship in the United States: Frequently Asked Questions

apprenticeship program. At present, funding related to Registered Apprenticeship is a relatively
small portion of these programs’ budgets.
Federal workforce development funds support a group of coordinated programs
that support training and employment services.17 These funds are granted to states
and subgranted to local workforce boards. Training decisions are made at the
local level. Allowable uses of federal workforce funds include paying for an
apprentice’s related instruction, reimbursing an employer for a portion of the
wages paid to a worker during on-the-job training, and providing placement
assistance for an apprentice who completed a program.
Federal student aid provides financial assistance to individual students to assist
in covering costs related to postsecondary education. Apprentices who are
eligible for need-based Pell grants can use those funds for tuition, books, and
other costs associated with the related instruction portion of a Registered
Apprenticeship program if the apprentice is enrolled in an eligible certificate or
degree program. Apprentices may also qualify for Federal Work Study funds in
some circumstances.
Veterans Education benefits (G.I. Bill programs) provide tuition assistance and a
housing allowance for veterans who pursue postsecondary education.18 Veterans
enrolled in a registered apprenticeship may collect a portion of the G.I. Bill’s
housing allowance when enrolled. Veterans can also use the G.I. Bill tuition
benefits to cover tuition for the related instruction portion of an apprenticeship
program.
In some circumstances, funding from the Departments of Agriculture, Transportation, and
Housing and Urban Development may also support apprenticeship.19

Author Contact Information

Benjamin Collins

Analyst in Labor Policy
bcollins@crs.loc.gov, 7-7382


17 The largest sources of federal workforce development funding are through the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (WIOA). For more information on WIOA and the federal workforce system, see
http://www.doleta.gov/wioa/.
18 For more information on the G.I. Bill, including its application to Registered Apprenticeship, see CRS Report
R42755, The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (Post-9/11 GI Bill): Primer and Issues, by
Cassandria Dortch.
19 For more information on the funding streams in these departments, see sections 4-6 of The Federal Resources
Playbook for Registered Apprenticeship
at http://www.doleta.gov/oa/federalresources/playbook.pdf.
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