US Department of Labor announces new members of Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the appointment of new members to the Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship. The ACA is comprised of approximately 30 individuals representing labor unions, employers and the public.

"This administration is committed to building partnerships that strengthen our economy and create opportunities that lead to good jobs for everyone," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "I will look to the ACA for recommendations on increasing the use of Registered Apprenticeships as a means to develop career pathways for diverse populations in green construction, health care and other growing industries."

ACA members include leaders from throughout the Registered Apprenticeship system and its partners, including the National Association of State and Territorial Apprenticeship Directors, the National Association of Governmental Labor Officials, the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration, the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Agency and the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education. The ACA will be chaired by Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, chief executive officer of Green for All, a national organization focused on helping build a green economy.

"Our nation must develop a new generation of skilled workers with an eye toward 21st century workforce demands. This increasingly means a minimum of one year of postsecondary education or training such as a Registered Apprenticeship," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Jane Oates. "The members of the ACA represent several industries and come from diverse backgrounds. I am confident they will provide meaningful recommendations to Secretary Solis."

The mission of the ACA is to provide advice and recommendations on the development and implementation of policies, legislation and regulations affecting apprenticeship; the preparation of the American workforce for sustained employment through employment and training programs; the development of measures that foster quality workplaces that are safe, healthy and fair; and strategies that meet the competitive labor demands of a global economy. The ACA is authorized by 29 U.S.C. 50a, which permits the secretary of labor to appoint a national advisory committee to serve without compensation. An open meeting of the ACA will be held in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 27 and 28.

Editor's Note: A list of ACA members is below.

ACA Member List

Labor Representatives

Michael Arndt, director of training, United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the U.S. and Canada, Annapolis, Md.

Stephen A. Brown, director, Construction Training Department, International Union of Operating Engineers, Washington, D.C.

Michael Callanan, executive director, National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee for the Electrical Industry, Upper Marlboro, Md.

Thomas A. Haun, Insulation Industry International Apprentice and Training Fund administrator, Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers International Union, Lanham, Md.

William K. Irwin, Jr., executive director, Carpenters International Training Fund, Las Vegas, Nev.

D. Michael Langford, national president, Utility Workers Union of America, AFL – CIO, Washington, D.C.

John A. Mason, director, Paul Hall Institute, Seafarers International Union, Piney Point, Md.

Bernadette Oliveira-Rivera, fund administrator, Laborers' International Union of North America, Pomfret Center, Conn.

Charissa Raynor, executive director, Service Employees International Union Healthcare NW Training Partnership, Federal Way, Wash.

Daniel Villao, state director, California Construction Academy, UCLA Downtown Labor Center, Los Angeles, Calif.

Michael L. White, executive director, Apprenticeship and Training International, Union of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers, Washington, D.C.

Employer Representatives

Robert Baird, vice president, Training and Development, Independent Electrical Contractors Inc., Alexandria, Va.

Gregory A. Chambers, director of corporate compliance, Oberg Industries Inc., Freeport, Pa.

Liz Elvin, senior director, Workforce Development, AGC of America, Arlington, Va.

Frederick N. Humphreys, president and CEO, Home Builders Institute, Washington, D.C.

Stephen M. Jones, training project manager, Corporate Training Development, United Parcel Service, Atlanta, Ga.

Wes Jurey, president and CEO, Arlington Texas Chamber of Commerce, Arlington, Texas

Stephen C. Mandes, executive director, National Institute for Metalworking Skills Inc., Fairfax, Va.

Todd Staub, director of workforce development, Chapter Services Group, Associated Builders and Contractors, Arlington, Va.

Robyn Stone, executive director, Institute for the Future of Aging Services, American Association for Homes and Services for the Aging, Washington, D.C.

Public Representatives

Connie Ashbrook, director, Oregon Tradeswomen Inc., Portland, Ore.

Janet B. Bray, executive director, Association for Career and Technical Education, Alexandria, Va.

Andrew Cortes, director of YouthBuild and Building Futures, The Providence Plan, Providence, R.I.

Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins (ACA chairperson), chief executive officer, Green for All, Oakland, Calif.

Emma Oppenheim, manager, Workforce Development Policy Initiatives, National Council of La Raza, Washington, D.C.

Monte Perez, president, Riverside Community College, Moreno Valley, Calif.

James A. Reed, vice president, Workforce Development Division, National Urban League, New York, N.Y.

Martin Simon, program officer, Workforce Development, National Governors Association, Washington, D.C.

Abel Valenzuela Jr., professor, UCLA's Cesar Chavez Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies, Los Angeles, Calif.

Ex-Officio Representatives

Jane Oates, assistant secretary, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, D.C.

Brenda Dann-Messier, assistant secretary, Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.

Barry Johnson, senior advisor and director, Strategic Initiatives, Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C.