A press release announcing the reintroduction of the Apprenticeship Hubs Across America Act in the U.S. Congress included a statement endorsing the legislation by JFF Senior Advisor Eric Seleznow, director of JFF’s Center for Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning.

According to the press release, which was issued by Senator Chris Coons, the bill calls for the establishment of a new initiative at the U.S. Department of Labor to expand the capacity of Apprenticeship Hubs, which are organizations that help employers develop and implement Registered Apprenticeship programs. According to the press release, Apprenticeship Hubs could play an important role in expanding apprenticeship beyond the skilled trades and into other high-growth job sectors where employers typically aren’t familiar with apprenticeship and don’t know how to set up Registered Apprenticeships.

“JFF’s Center for Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning applauds this bipartisan effort to encourage and support the growth of apprenticeship intermediaries,” Seleznow was quoted as saying. “Intermediaries play a critical role in organizing and expanding high-quality apprenticeship programs that help workers obtain the skills to succeed while helping businesses train their next generation of workers. There is an emergence of new intermediaries, including community colleges, workforce boards, private firms, community-based organizations, and industry associations, among others, that make it easier for employers to create high-quality registered apprenticeship programs. This bill will support these ongoing efforts to expand the proven practice of apprenticeships for both adults and youth.”