First Lady, Secretary Walsh, Secretary Raimondo join first group of Apprenticeship Ambassadors at White House to kick-off workforce development effort

WASHINGTON – Dr. Jill Biden welcomed U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to the White House today to mark a milestone in the Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative, where members of the initial cohort of Apprenticeship Ambassadors discussed steps being taken to expand apprenticeship programs throughout the nation and promote the benefits of Registered Apprenticeships in numerous industries.

The initiative is an effort to modernize, strengthen, diversify and accelerate the use of Registered Apprenticeships to advance career pathways and equity in the nation’s economic recovery.

“By partnering with employers and industry stakeholders, the Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative has produced commitments to create nearly 500 new Registered Apprenticeships programs,” said Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “These results will increase our skilled workforce  – including people in underrepresented communities, especially women, people of color, veterans and people with disabilities – equipping them with good-paying, high-quality jobs and a pathway to the middle class.”

In July 2022, the department announced the selection of the first group of 207 officials and organizations as Apprenticeship Ambassadors. They were chosen to expand the nation’s use of Registered Apprenticeships through partnerships with employers, labor organizations, industry associations, educators, community-based organizations and other stakeholders. 

The Apprenticeship Ambassadors have existing Registered Apprenticeship programs in over 40 in-demand industries and have committed to expand and diversify these programs over the next year by collectively: developing 460 new Registered Apprenticeship programs across their 40 industries, hiring over 10,000 new apprentices, and holding 5,000 outreach, promotional and training events to help other business, labor and education leaders launch similar programs.

Registered Apprenticeships provide a time-honored and proven “earn-as-you-learn” model to train workers for good paying, high-quality jobs across industries.

The department recently marked the 85th anniversary of the National Apprenticeship Act, and has announced that National Apprenticeship Week will be held Nov. 14-20, 2022.

Learn more about the Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative.