National Apprenticeship Act — Registered Apprenticeships

The National Apprenticeship Act of 1937 (29 U.S.C. §§ 50–50b) — also called the Fitzgerald Act — authorizes the Department of Labor to establish standards for and promote registered apprenticeship programs across the United States. A registered apprenticeship is the original "earn while you learn" model: an employer-driven training program that combines on-the-job training under the supervision of a skilled mentor with related technical instruction (classroom or online), all while the apprentice earns progressive wages that increase as skills develop. Upon completion, the apprentice earns a nationally recognized Department of Labor certificate of completion — a portable, industry-valued credential. The U.S. currently has approximately 27,000 active registered apprenticeship programs training over 600,000 apprentices across more than 1,000 occupations, from electricians and plumbers to cybersecurity analysts and healthcare workers.

Current Law (2026)

Legal Authority

• 29 U.S.C. § 50 — Promotion of labor standards of apprenticeship (Secretary of Labor is authorized to formulate and promote the furtherance of labor standards necessary to safeguard the welfare of apprentices, to extend the application of such standards through cooperation with state agencies and employers, and to bring together employers and labor to develop apprenticeship programs)
• 29 U.S.C. § 50a — Publication of information; national advisory committees (Secretary may publish information relating to apprenticeship; may appoint national advisory committees)
• 29 U.S.C. § 50b — Inclusivity in apprenticeship (prohibits discrimination in registered apprenticeship programs on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex; requires sponsors to take affirmative action to ensure equal opportunity for women and minorities; programs must submit equal opportunity pledges to DOL)

How It Works

Registration is what distinguishes apprenticeships from other training. A registered apprenticeship must meet DOL (or state apprenticeship agency) standards: a written apprenticeship agreement between the employer and apprentice; structured on-the-job training under a qualified mentor; related technical instruction (minimum 144 hours/year); progressive wages that increase as competencies are mastered; and a defined term (time-based, competency-based, or hybrid). Programs that meet these standards are "registered" with DOL or the state agency and their completers earn the federally recognized credential.

The employer-driven model means that apprenticeships are created by employers (or employer associations, joint labor-management committees, or community organizations) based on their workforce needs. The employer provides the job, the mentorship, and the wages. The apprentice provides the work and commitment to learning. Related instruction may be provided by community colleges, technical schools, or the employer — often at no cost to the apprentice. This structure means apprenticeships have near-zero student debt and very high completion-to-employment rates (approximately 93% of completers retain employment with average starting salaries above $77,000).

Twenty-five states operate their own State Apprenticeship Agencies (SAAs) under DOL recognition — registering programs and apprentices within their states at standards meeting or exceeding federal requirements. The remaining states are served directly by DOL's Office of Apprenticeship. While construction and manufacturing remain the largest apprenticeship sectors (electricians, plumbers, carpenters, machinists, ironworkers), the system has expanded into healthcare (medical assistants, pharmacy technicians), information technology (cybersecurity analysts, software developers), financial services, and advanced manufacturing. DOL has promoted this expansion through grants, industry partnerships, and streamlined registration for new occupations. States also frequently offer apprenticeship tax credits to employers — typically $1,000–$5,000 per apprentice per year — and federal grants through the American Apprenticeship Initiative and Apprenticeship Building America programs fund further expansion into new sectors and underserved populations.

How It Affects You

If you're a job seeker considering an apprenticeship: Registered apprenticeship is one of the best deals in the American labor market that most people don't fully understand. You earn wages from day one — starting typically at 50–60% of journey-level pay and progressing to full wages as you complete the program (usually 1–5 years). You get 144+ hours of related technical instruction per year, often at no cost to you, provided by community colleges or the program itself. You graduate with a nationally recognized credential (a Journey Worker Certificate of Completion) recognized by employers across the country. And 93% of apprenticeship completers remain employed after completion, with average starting wages above $77,000 nationally. No student debt. Start searching at apprenticeship.gov — you can search by occupation, industry, and location. Electrician, plumber, ironworker, HVAC technician, medical assistant, cybersecurity analyst, and software developer are among the hundreds of registered occupations. If you don't see openings in your area, contact your local Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC) for the trade you're interested in, or your state's workforce development board, which tracks registered programs and can connect you to pre-apprenticeship options.

If you're an employer looking to build skilled workforce pipelines: Registered apprenticeship gives you something vocational training programs and community college partnerships can't: workers trained specifically to your processes, equipment, and standards under your mentorship. DOL's Office of Apprenticeship provides free technical assistance to design and register programs — including help structuring the on-the-job training curriculum, writing the apprenticeship agreement, and meeting the 29 CFR Part 29 registration standards. Retention rates for apprenticeship-trained workers consistently exceed those for workers hired from external labor markets. Multiple state apprenticeship tax credits are available (typically $1,000–$5,000 per apprentice per year — check your state). If you work on federal construction projects, apprenticeship ratio requirements apply under Davis-Bacon. If you're in manufacturing and building under CHIPS Act or IRA incentives, apprenticeship utilization plans are required for the full tax credits. Contact DOL's Office of Apprenticeship at dol.gov/apprenticeship or your state apprenticeship agency.

If you're a high school student or recent graduate: Apprenticeship is increasingly available as a pathway directly from high school — not just for adults with prior work experience. Youth apprenticeship programs and pre-apprenticeship programs are growing in construction, healthcare, IT, and advanced manufacturing, often in partnership with career and technical education (CTE) programs at your school. A pre-apprenticeship prepares you for the standards and testing to enter a registered apprenticeship program; it often includes work experience, technical instruction, and a direct pipeline to a registered program upon completion. Some states have youth apprenticeship systems — like Wisconsin and Georgia — that let you start earning wages and credit in a registered program as early as age 16 while still in high school. Ask your school's CTE coordinator or career counselor about registered youth apprenticeship partnerships in your area, or search by state at apprenticeship.gov.

If you're a veteran seeking career transition: Apprenticeship is explicitly GI Bill-eligible. You can receive a housing allowance (at the E-5 with dependents rate for your duty station) during your apprenticeship — in addition to the wages you're earning — through the GI Bill's OJT/Apprenticeship program. That means a veteran apprentice in the building trades in a major metro could receive $2,000–$3,000/month in housing allowance while also earning $25–$35/hour in apprentice wages. The benefit phases out in the second and third years of the apprenticeship as wages increase, but the first year combination can substantially boost income. Apply through the VA's GI Bill program at va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/how-to-use-benefits/on-the-job-training-apprenticeships — your program must be VA-approved. The Helmets to Hardhats program (helmetstohardhats.org) specifically connects veterans to building trades apprenticeships and is a strong starting point.

Registered apprenticeships are a key workforce pipeline for manufacturing incentive programs, with CHIPS Act and IRA projects requiring apprenticeship utilization plans.

State Variations

Apprenticeship is a federal-state partnership with significant state variation:

• 25 states operate State Apprenticeship Agencies with their own registration and oversight
• State apprenticeship tax credits vary (some states offer none; others offer up to $5,000+/apprentice/year)
• State licensing requirements for certain occupations (electrician, plumber) often reference registered apprenticeship completion; apprentices on federal construction projects must be paid Davis-Bacon prevailing wages
• Some states have enacted apprenticeship ratio requirements (minimum number of journeyworkers per apprentice on job sites)
• State workforce development boards may prioritize apprenticeship in their training strategies

Implementing Regulations

The DOL regulations implementing registered apprenticeship live at 29 CFR Part 29 (registration standards) and 29 CFR Part 30 (equal employment opportunity in apprenticeship). Part 30 is the binding EEO framework that every registered apprenticeship program sponsor must follow. Key provisions:

• § 30.1 — Scope: applies to all sponsors of programs registered with either DOL or a recognized State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA); prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age (40+), genetic information, and disability; requires affirmative action programs for sponsors that meet the size threshold
• § 30.4 — Affirmative action programs: sponsors with five or more apprentices must develop and maintain a written affirmative action program — specific numerical goals and timetables for underrepresented groups in each job classification; the program must be updated annually
• § 30.10 — Selection of apprentices: a sponsor's selection procedures must be included in the written Standards of Apprenticeship submitted to the Registration Agency; selection methods must comply with the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (41 CFR Part 60-3); any selection procedure that results in adverse impact on a protected group must be validated as job-related
• § 30.11 — Disability self-identification: sponsors must invite applicants to self-identify as individuals with a disability both before offer (pre-offer) and after acceptance but before starting the program (post-offer); self-identification is voluntary and must use language prescribed by the DOL Office of Apprenticeship; data collected is kept confidential and used only for tracking EEO compliance
• § 30.12 — Recordkeeping: sponsors must retain all EEO-relevant records — applications, test results, interview notes, selection decisions, job assignments, pay, promotions, and terminations — for a period sufficient to respond to compliance reviews; records related to disability self-identification are maintained separately
• § 30.13 — EEO compliance reviews: the Registration Agency (DOL Office of Apprenticeship or SAA) conducts regular compliance reviews — desk audits and on-site inspections; findings must be delivered in writing within 45 business days of the review; sponsors with violations must implement a compliance action plan within 30 business days or face suspension of new apprentice registrations
• § 30.14 — Complaints: any person who believes they have been discriminated against in apprenticeship may file a complaint with the Registration Agency within 300 days of the alleged violation; the time limit may be extended for good cause
• § 30.15 — Enforcement: the Registration Agency may suspend a sponsor's right to register new apprentices, ultimately deregistering the program for failure to comply; deregistration proceedings follow the Part 29 procedures

The 2016 final rule (81 FR 92108) comprehensively revised Part 30 — replacing the 1978 EEO regulations, adding sexual orientation and genetic information as protected categories, and aligning the disability provisions with the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. A 2019 technical correction (84 FR 3301) made clarifying changes to the disability self-identification procedures.

Pending Legislation

No standalone National Apprenticeship Act reform bills have been introduced in the 119th Congress. Related workforce provisions appear in broader legislation — see Rehabilitation Act and Section 504.

Recent Developments

The Biden administration set a goal of creating 2 million new registered apprenticeships — backed by significant federal investment through DOL grants. Apprenticeship expansion into non-traditional sectors (tech, healthcare, clean energy) has been the primary growth area. The National Apprenticeship Act has not been comprehensively reauthorized since 1937; the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 (which would have modernized the system) passed the House but stalled in the Senate. DOL has continued to update registration standards, streamline the process for new program sponsors, and promote diversity and equity in apprenticeship access — women, people of color, and individuals with disabilities remain underrepresented in many apprenticeship programs.

• Trump DOL apprenticeship expansion — industry-recognized model: The Trump administration revived the Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Program (IRAP) model — which allows industry associations and third parties (rather than only the federal/state system) to develop and certify apprenticeship programs without full DOL registered apprenticeship compliance requirements. The Biden DOL had restricted IRAPs; the Trump DOL is expanding them again. The IRAP model is faster to create and more flexible, but critics argue it lacks the wage protections, progressive skill standards, and employer accountability of the traditional registered apprenticeship system.
• OBBBA workforce provisions: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act included provisions expanding apprenticeship tax credits — increasing the employer credit for hiring apprentices from $1,500 to $3,500 per apprentice and extending it to a broader range of qualified apprenticeship programs. The OBBBA also modified WIOA funding to allow greater use of workforce investment funds for registered apprenticeship costs, and established a pilot for "micro-credential" pathways that bridge workforce development and apprenticeship entry. The workforce provisions reflect bipartisan agreement that registered apprenticeship — widely used in Europe but covering only 650,000 workers in the U.S. — should be expanded.
• Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANOC): The Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations Act of 1992 (29 USC Ch. 27) directs DOL to fund technical assistance grants for employers and unions to recruit and retain women in apprenticeship programs and trades — construction, manufacturing, transportation, and other historically male-dominated fields. The grant program is small (typically $1–2M/year) but targets a persistent gap: women represent less than 4% of registered apprentices in construction trades and under 10% overall. Pre-apprenticeship programs specifically designed for women — such as Building Pathways and Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW) — receive WANOC-linked support. The program operates through the DOL Women's Bureau and Office of Apprenticeship.

DEI rollback in apprenticeship programs: Trump executive orders eliminating DEI programs affected DOL-funded apprenticeship equity initiatives — specifically, grants designed to increase women, minorities, and people with disabilities in construction and manufacturing apprenticeships. Programs that provided pre-apprenticeship training (often targeting underrepresented populations) were reviewed; those that could be reframed as "economic opportunity" programs without racial or gender targeting were preserved. The Building Pathways initiative and other diversity-focused pre-apprenticeship programs faced funding uncertainty.

• Tech sector apprenticeship growth: Registered apprenticeships in technology occupations — software development, cybersecurity, cloud computing, data analysis — grew from approximately 10,000 to 100,000+ between 2018 and 2025. Companies including Amazon, IBM, Accenture, Salesforce, and Cognizant have launched registered tech apprenticeship programs as an alternative to traditional college hiring. The tech apprenticeship model typically involves 12-24 months of on-the-job learning with concurrent coursework, leading to a journeyworker certificate and a full-time position. The CMMC cybersecurity requirements (see NIST CSF) are driving demand for apprenticeship-credentialed cybersecurity professionals in the defense industrial base.