Earlier today, Senator Baldwin (D-WI) introduced the Promoting Apprenticeships through Regional Training Networks for Employers’ Required Skills Act of 2018 (PARTNERS Act). The bill would support industry partnerships and their work to expand business capacity to run apprenticeship and work-based learning programs and worker success in these programs. Representatives Bonamici (D-OR) and Ferguson (R-GA) introduced a similar version in the House last fall.
PARTNERS Act would provide crucial support to local partnerships between the workforce and education systems, labor management partnerships, human services and community-based organizations and businesses. The bill would provide grants to these partnerships to help businesses set up work-based learning programs, align classroom instruction and on-the-job training and evaluate program success. Funds could also be used to ensure a diverse pipeline of workers have access to and success in these programs through pre-apprenticeship, childcare and transportation supports and first day job necessities like tools and uniforms.
Read more here.
NSC applauds Senator Baldwin’s leader introducing this important legislation and will work with both the House and Senate to advance the bill and its goals.
