Fifth Annual National Apprenticeship Week Aims to Highlight Innovative Programs and Raise Awareness

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the start of National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) 2019.

During NAW 2019, events are hosted across the country to celebrate the work of apprentices with thousands of participants nationwide.

“National Apprenticeship Week shines a spotlight on the opportunities apprenticeships offer to workers and employers,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia. “We join with business leaders, educators, state and local governments, and others across the nation this week in promoting the benefits of apprenticeships for the workplace and our communities.”

President Donald J. Trump signed a proclamation regarding NAW 2019, and proclamations from governors, mayors, state legislators, and numerous industries and labor unions have also affirmed their commitment to apprenticeships.

With more than seven million job openings in the United States, apprenticeships are industry-driven, high-quality career pathways in which employers can develop and prepare their future workforce, and individuals can obtain paid work experience, classroom instruction, and transferable credentials. NAW is an opportunity to recognize the role that apprenticeship has in helping to prepare America’s future workforce for careers in a variety of industries.

To learn more information on NAW 2019 and explore the national listing of NAW events, as well as helpful resources, please visit: Apprenticeship.gov/NAW.

The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.