Associated Builders and Contractors responded to the Biden Administration’s of the Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative, saying that while raising awareness about apprenticeship is commendable, the promotion of only government-registered apprenticeships is not.

“With the construction industry facing a shortage of 650,000 skilled workers in 2022, ÀÏÅ£Ó°ÊÓappreciates the Biden administration’s launch of the Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative,” said Ben Brubeck, ÀÏÅ£Ó°ÊÓ vice president of regulatory, labor and state affairs. “It is important to raise awareness of the benefits of apprenticeship to employers, educators and career-seekers from underserved populations as well as to identify and scale innovative practice to modernize and expand registered apprenticeship programs. ÀÏÅ£Ó°ÊÓis a strong supporter of government-registered and industry-registered apprenticeships; in fact, ABC’s Virginia, New Mexico and Pacific Northwest chapters were among the first Apprenticeship Ambassadors selected by the U.S. Department of Labor in July 2022.

“However, the administration’s promotion of only government-registered apprenticeship programs—which graduate roughly 40,000 to 45,000 apprentices a year in the construction industry—is concerning because it is disconnected from market realities­ and industry best practices.

“Upskilling the construction industry requires a strong focus on educating our workforce on core competencies, such as transferable skills in safety, efficiency and productivity,” said Brubeck. “We must support inclusive, market-driven, all-of-the-above solutions to workforce development as part of the effort to attract and retain a diverse construction industry workforce.

“ABC’s comprehensive approach to workforce development has produced a network of ÀÏÅ£Ó°ÊÓchapters and affiliates across the country that offer more than 800 apprenticeship, craft, safety and management education programs—including more than 300 government-registered apprenticeship programs across 20 different occupations—to build the people who build America,” said Brubeck.