Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), the former Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following statement in support of President Trump’s executive order, which seeks to expand apprenticeships to train people for millions of unfilled jobs.
I am thrilled the President has answered the call to support successful employer-led apprenticeship programs. In Congress, I have long championed the expansion of apprenticeships, taking the lead on much-needed reforms to create more options for employers and workers. My EARNS Act expands awareness and access to apprenticeship opportunities—both for workers looking for viable careers and for employers in need of a highly trained, skilled workforce.
In Utah, we have many production and manufacturing jobs that go unfilled. Apprenticeships are an “earn while you learn” model that support many Utah families in attaining income stability while supporting employers in developing a skilled pipeline of workers. I look forward to spearheading the effort in Congress to implement this necessary investment in American workers and economic growth.
Senator Hatch is a co-sponsor of the Effective Apprenticeships Rebuild National Skills (EARNS) Act. The bipartisan legislation strengthens the nation’s workforce development system through registered apprenticeship programs. The EARNS Act supports pre-apprenticeship programs and new or expanding registered apprenticeship programs that provide national, portable credentials and help secure academic credit for on-the-job learning portions of an apprenticeship.
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