WASHINGTON, DC – Following President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order Expanding Apprenticeships in America, U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta today announced members of the President's Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion. The Task Force—representing companies, trade and industry groups, educational institutions, and labor unions—brings to the table substantial workforce development experience in addressing the nation’s skills gap.

“Expanding apprenticeships will help Americans learn the skills they need to fill jobs that are open right now and in the future. I am pleased to see business leaders, unions, educational institutions, and industry groups come together to help the American worker,” said Secretary Acosta. “The members of the Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion will provide varied perspectives that will help guide the Administration’s strategy on growing apprenticeship programs nationwide. I am grateful for their participation in this important effort.”

To help more Americans obtain relevant skills and family-sustaining jobs, President Trump issued an Executive Order Expanding Apprenticeships in America. Apprenticeships provide paid, relevant workplace experiences and opportunities to develop skills that job creators demand. Hundreds of companies—big and small, across industries—have shown an interest in apprenticeships since President Trump signed his Executive Order.

The President’s Executive Order called for the Secretary of Labor to establish a Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion. The mission of the Task Force is to identify strategies and proposals to promote apprenticeships, especially in sectors where apprenticeship programs are insufficient.

Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion Members:

Chair – Secretary Alexander Acosta, U.S. Department of Labor
Vice-Chair – Secretary Betsy DeVos, U.S. Department of Education
Vice-Chair – Secretary Wilbur Ross, U.S. Department of Commerce

Michael Bellaman, President and CEO, Associated Builders and Contractors
Joshua Bolten, President and CEO, Business Roundtable
Walter Bumphus, President and CEO, American Association of Community Colleges
Wesley Bush, Chairman, CEO and President, Northrop Grumman
The Honorable Dennis Daugaard, Governor, South Dakota
Emily Stover DeRocco, Founder & CEO, E3 Engage Educate Employ
Cari Dominguez, Director, Manpower Inc.
Thomas J. Donohue, President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Montez King, Executive Director, National Institute for Metalworking Skills
Andrew Liveris, Chairman and CEO, Dow Chemical Company
Katherine Lugar, President and CEO, American Hotel and Lodging Association
Douglas J. McCarron, General President, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
Sean McGarvey, President, North America’s Building Trades Unions
Marc H. Morial, CEO, National Urban League
John Ratzenberger, workforce training advocate
The Honorable Kim Reynolds, Governor, Iowa
Mark B. Rosenberg, Board of Directors, Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities
Joseph Sellers Jr., General President, International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers
Dawn Sweeney, President and CEO, National Restaurant Association
Jay Timmons, President and CEO, National Association of Manufacturers

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta today issued the following statement on the President’s Executive Order regarding healthcare:

“President Trump and his Administration are committed to providing hard-working Americans with quality, affordable health insurance options. The Department of Labor welcomes the Executive Order on Promoting Healthcare Choice and Competition across the United States. We look forward to working with the Secretaries of Health and Human Services and Treasury as we consider reforms that will expand access to high-quality healthcare at affordable prices for the American people.”

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta issued the following statement on President Donald J. Trump’s speech today on tax reform:

“President Trump continues to make a strong case for pro-growth tax reform that will give a boost to America’s workforce and job creators.  Under President Trump’s framework, miners, makers, and movers—including truckers—will be able to keep more of their paychecks. With a simpler, fairer tax system, Americans will get the level playing field they need to succeed.”

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta issued the following statement today on the Trump Administration’s immigration policy priorities:

“Visa fraud and abuse hurts American workers and, at the same time, hurts foreign workers here legally under federal programs.  The U.S. Department of Labor is focused on combating fraud and abuse of Federal visa programs and is taking every available legal action against those who abuse these programs.  Stopping visa fraud and abuse must also be a priority for Congress.”

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta issued the following statement on the President’s announcement on tax reform today:

“President Donald J. Trump’s tax reform framework is great news for Americans and American job creators. This plan will create a simpler and fairer tax system. American families will keep more of their hard-earned pay, and job creators will have more resources to invest in the American workforce.

“This plan promotes job creation in the United States. We are going to see investment return home, fueling new job growth across all industries. It is critical that we unleash the full potential of the world’s greatest workforce – the American workforce.”

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta released the following statement to commemorate Labor Day:

“Labor Day is the one day a year that we set aside to honor the men and women who work every day to make this nation great. At the Department of Labor, we have the great privilege of engaging with the greatest workforce in the world, the American workforce.

“On this day, we remember that every individual matters and every worker makes a contribution to the United States economy. The miners and the growers, the makers and the builders, the movers and the drivers, make all that we have possible.

“This is especially important to remember as the State of Texas begins the long and difficult work of recovering from Hurricane Harvey. Many workers of all skills will be needed to reconstruct homes, businesses, and infrastructure.

“This Labor Day, we remember the work it took to build these great United States. We accomplish great things working together as one nation. Happy Labor Day!”

SIMI VALLEY, CA – Today, during remarks at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta announced that U.S. President Ronald Reagan will be inducted into the U.S. Department of Labor Hall of Honor.

President Reagan is the only president of the United States to have led a major union. President Reagan’s membership in the Labor Hall of Honor recognizes his accomplishments as a labor leader. During a March 30, 1981, speech to the National Conference of the Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL-CIO, President Reagan remarked: "I hope you'll forgive me if I point with some pride to the fact that I'm the first president of the United States to hold a lifetime membership in an AFL-CIO union."

“Well before he led this nation, Ronald Reagan led the Screen Actors Guild during its first three strikes,” Secretary Acosta said. “As President of the Screen Actors Guild, President Reagan negotiated never-before-seen concessions for SAG members, which included residual payments and health and pension benefits.  As President of this nation, Ronald Reagan continued to recognize the contributions of unions to a free society. His support for Solidarity in Poland prompted a flourishing of freedom that ultimately led to the collapse of Communism.”

The Hall of Honor was established in 1988 to honor Americans whose distinctive contributions have elevated working conditions, wages, and overall quality of life for American families.

The request for nomination was submitted by the Sergeants Benevolent Association of New York City.

The induction ceremony will take place at the Frances Perkins Building in Washington, D.C.

BEDMINSTER, NJ –Today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta delivered remarks following his meeting with President Donald J. Trump on the optimistic outlook of the American workforce. They specifically discussed the Department of Labor’s progress implementing his Executive Order on Apprenticeships.

Excerpts from his remarks are below:

It’s a pleasure to be here to update President Trump on the optimistic outlook of the American workforce.

Today, we specifically discussed our progress implementing his Executive Order on Apprenticeships.

The President’s top priority for Labor is jobs, more jobs, and even more jobs.

The Department of Labor is implementing the President’s vision to ensure that Americans have the skills that they need to fill good, stable jobs.

There are 6.2 million job openings nationwide. This is the highest number on record.

Yet 7 million Americans are looking for jobs.

Americans want to work.

American companies want to hire.

We need to close the skills gap between the skills demanded by these open jobs and the skills offered by the American people.

That is why the President signed this Executive Order on June 15th to expand apprenticeships to all sectors of our economy.

The concept of demand-driven education has been enthusiastically received by private industry, educational institutions and state and local officials across the country.

The CEOs of 180 major companies signed a joint letter in support of the Executive Order.

I have spoken with dozens of CEOs across a number of industries, college and university presidents, unions, and industry groups.

To a person, they are excited about apprenticeships and many have begun working on developing apprenticeship programs.

We are currently evaluating nominations for the Apprenticeship Expansion Task Force. We received hundreds of submissions.

We expect the Task Force to begin in September. It will advise the Administration on effective apprenticeship strategies for their industries.

The Department of Labor is partnering with industry groups, companies, non-profit organizations, unions, joint labor-management organizations and so many others to help them design apprenticeship programs.

Industry-recognized apprenticeships will teach workers skills that are transferrable within their industries, resulting in more job opportunities.

I want to thank the President for his leadership.

I also want to thank Ivanka Trump and the Office of American Innovation for their tireless efforts on this initiative.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta issued the following statement on the July 2017 Employment Situation report:

“July’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.3 percent from the previous month’s level of 4.4 percent. The unemployment rate matches its May 2017 rate, which is the lowest since May 2001. The unemployment rate has dropped 0.5 percentage point since President Trump took office. Non-farm payroll employment rose by 209,000 jobs. More than one million jobs have been created since January. Multiple economic sectors showed job growth since the President took office, including 82,000 jobs created in construction and 70,000 in manufacturing.

“Since President Trump took office, the unemployment rate has hit a 16-year low. This month’s jobs report reflects the steady economic growth and continued optimism felt by businesses across the United States. American companies are growing and they are hiring. Hundreds of thousands of Americans are now taking home a paycheck.

“By empowering business, education, and state and local government to work together on expanding apprenticeships and job opportunities, our labor force will continue to strengthen. This Administration is committed to ensuring good, safe, family-sustaining jobs for American workers will be available today and in the future.”

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. –Today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta encouraged state officials to partner together to reduce excessive licensing.

Excerpts from his remarks, as delivered, at the Western Governors' Association Workforce Development Workshop, are below:

…I would like to ask for your leadership to reduce excessive licensing.

***

Today, more than 1,100 careers are licensed in at least one state.

More than 1 in 4 American workers now need a license to work in their chosen field.

First, the cost and complexity of licensing creates an economic barrier for Americans seeking a job, especially for those with fewer financial resources.

Second, excessive licensing creates a barrier for Americans that move from state to state. Geographic mobility is especially important for our economy.    

And third, excessive licensing creates a barrier for Americans looking to leverage technology to expand their job opportunities. 

***

The financial costs are obvious; some licensing applications cost thousands of dollars.

The cost in time is at least as high.  The national average time required for a cosmetology license is 370 days.  In one state, it is 490 days.  

For Americans living paycheck to paycheck, investing time and money into licensing is a substantial burden.

***

A related issue is the barrier to workforce mobility that arises from differences in licensing requirements among the states.

When a member of our military is reassigned across state lines, his or her spouse often moves as well.  The same is true when a civilian finds another job or is likewise reassigned, the spouse often moves as well.

This presents the trailing spouse a difficult choice. 

Does the spouse move, and potentially give up his or her chosen career until he or she can regain a license? 

Does the spouse stay behind, creating distance in the family structure?

By the most recent estimate, there are 60 occupations regulated in every state, and more than 1,100 occupations are regulated in at least one state.

Millions of Americans move across state borders every year. 

When they do move, the spouse should not have to give up his or her career, while he or she enrolls in duplicative education or awaits an unnecessary license.

As technology changes, the barriers created by unneeded licensing become more costly and less rational. 

Telemedicine, for example, offers new opportunities for nurses and physicians.  However, some medical professionals cannot offer teleservices in certain states.

Although 22 states form the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, some of the largest states—including California, Texas, New York, and Florida—are not involved. 

We recognize the importance of telemedicine, yet overlook many other careers that could equally benefit from technology that provides access to interstate markets. 

Interior design advice and other consulting services, for example, can be offered online. 

Our goal should be to expand opportunities for Americans, not limit them.

All told, the cost of these barriers is real and measurable.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis estimates that licensing requirements reduce total non-farm payroll by 1.3% nationwide.

Put differently, the Federal Reserve estimates that about 2 million Americans do not hold a job, or have given up their career, because of licensing issues.

Deadweight losses total $13 billion annually.

Misallocation of resources exceeds $170 billion. 

These are staggering numbers.

And the Brookings Institution estimates that the costs are even higher, that occupational licensing costs nearly 3 million jobs nationwide.

States have addressed excessive licensing to some extent. 

Much more action is needed. 

Taking up this issue is one way that you, as state leaders, can have immediate, consequential and measurable impact.

You have a tremendous opportunity to help create millions of jobs, without spending a dime.   

We are committed to working with you to strengthen our economy and empower the American workforce. 

Americans want principled, broad-based reform. 

If licenses are unnecessary, eliminate them. 

If they are needed, streamline them. 

And, if they are honored by one state, consider honoring them in your own state. 

I look forward to more conversations in the future.