Core Issues
Registered Apprenticeships
Registered Apprenticeships are a proven pathway into the middle class for workers in the skilled trades. The Trump administration has taken several steps to dismantle federal support for these programs:
- Eliminated the Advisory Council on Apprenticeship, removing a key forum for labor, industry, and government collaboration.
- Revoked Executive Orders that encouraged Registered Apprenticeships on federally funded infrastructure projects and aimed to diversify recruitment, including women and veterans.
- Cut federal training grants for union apprenticeship programs.
- Appointed Henry Mack III, a vocal critic of union apprenticeships, to oversee apprenticeship programs at the Department of Labor.
These actions threaten the sustainability of union-led training programs and reduce access to high-quality, skilled trade careers.
Core Issues
This page will be updated regularly to reflect new developments. IUPAT will continue to advocate for policies that support our members and their families, and to challenge those that undermine the dignity of work in the union trades.