Comments on the Labor Department’s Proposed Regulations for a New Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship System

In June 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) outlining changes to the apprenticeship regulations under 29 CFR 29. Specifically, DOL proposed a parallel system to Registered Apprenticeships through which the Department would select Standards Recognition Entities (SREs) to approve and monitor Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs), alternative to the existing system of Registered Apprenticeship.

On August 26, 2019, the Center on Education and Skills at New America submitted these comments to DOL raising questions and concerns about the proposed quality assurance framework for IRAPs, as well as the responsibilities of IRAPs, SREs, and DOL under that framework.