National Apprenticeship Week and Women in Apprenticeship Day

Floor Speech

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Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, it is National Apprenticeship Week and Women in Apprenticeship Day, and I want to highlight the potential for apprenticeships to get people into good-paying jobs.

When I visit communities across northwest Oregon, I hear from many Oregonians who feel left behind and left out of the economic recovery. Far too many families are still struggling to make ends meet.

Their wages are stagnant, and they feel overwhelmed by rising rent prices, barriers to transportation, and skyrocketing costs of childcare. They can't save for retirement or for their kids to go to college. They need access to good-paying jobs so they can support themselves and their families.

Workforce development programs can assist them, particularly assisting those who have barriers to employment. Good workforce policies can help them access the education, training, credentials, and support services they need to secure living-wage jobs. Good workforce policies create opportunities for employers to align training with the skills they need.

As we recognize National Apprenticeship Week and Women in Apprenticeship Day, we must commit to strengthening apprenticeships and work-based learning programs. Investing in these programs will help more people access better-paying, stable careers and provide our businesses with a workforce that will improve productivity and efficiency.

In the district I represent, the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center, or OMIC, is bringing together industry leaders like Boeing with local colleges, including Portland Community College, Oregon Institute of Technology, Oregon State University, and Portland State University, to develop a registered apprenticeship program. This collaboration will result in growth, innovation, and efficiency in advanced manufacturing and a more skilled workforce.

OMIC is a tremendous opportunity for Oregonians and exactly the kind of partnership that brings value to our communities and to our economy. I was proud to help secure funding for OMIC through the Economic Development Administration, and I look forward to seeing its continued growth and the opportunities it will bring to northwest Oregon and our region and our future manufacturing workforce.

Although some employers recognize the importance of recruiting and training all working people, across the country, the representation of women in the trades remains quite low. In Oregon, we are leading the way. Women's participation in registered apprenticeship programs is more than double the national average, demonstrating the value of organizations like Oregon Tradeswomen, with the mission dedicated to promoting success for women in the trades through education, leadership, and mentorship.

We can help increase the presence of programs like Oregon Tradeswomen across the country by increasing funding for the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations grants, and, of course, by supporting the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

To help Oregonians and many other Americans who still face job insecurity, we must expand work-based learning to industries that lack established apprenticeship programs, like healthcare and technology, especially in startups.

Unfortunately, small- and medium-sized businesses often do not have the resources to establish work-based learning programs on their own. Industry partnerships like those at OMIC solve this challenge by bringing together employers, educational institutions, training providers, and local organizations to support the creation and expansion of work-based learning programs that benefit workers and the economy as a whole.

I have worked with my colleague from Georgia, Congressman Drew Ferguson, to introduce the Promoting Apprenticeships through Regional Training Networks for Employers' Required Skills, or PARTNERS, Act.

This bipartisan bill would use existing dollars to invest in industry partnerships to help businesses recruit workers, develop training curriculums, and provide workers with access to tools, work attire, transportation, childcare services, and mentorship support. These support services help businesses retain employees and help workers balance caring for and providing for their families while they are learning new skills.

The PARTNERS Act and funding for the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act are two pieces of the greater need to invest in apprenticeships and other paid on-the-job training programs.

During National Apprenticeship Week, I stand ready to continue the fight for policies that can help more people access better-paying jobs and meet the demands of our local employers.

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