1. Short title and table of contents (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the Leveraging Effective Apprenticeships to Rebuild National Skills Act or the LEARNS Act . (b) Table of contents The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents. Sec. 2. Findings and purposes. Sec. 3. Definitions. TITLE I—Promoting Registered Apprenticeships Sec. 101. Promoting registered apprenticeship programs. Sec. 102. Promoting integration with postsecondary education. TITLE II—Program development and enhancement Sec. 201. Expanding registered apprenticeship programs. 2. Findings and purposes (a) Findings Congress finds the following: (1) A highly skilled workforce is necessary to compete in the global economy, support economic growth, and maintain the standard of living of the United States. (2) The apprenticeship model is a longstanding, on-the-job training and education model that prepares workers for the skill demands of particular occupations and employers while, at the same time, providing the workers with recognized, portable credentials, and wages while in training. (3) The registered apprenticeship program model has been successful in skilled trade industries, including construction and manufacturing, as well as service industries, such as health care, and holds great potential for expansion into other industries. (4) Registered apprenticeships are becoming increasingly innovative and diverse in their designs, partnerships, timeframes, and use of emerging concepts such as competency-based learning, and will continue to evolve to meet emerging skill requirements, while maintaining high standards and quality. (5) Registered apprenticeship programs are an essential element of an effective workforce development system and help individuals attain a recognized postsecondary credential, contributing to their personal economic sustainability. (6) According to a report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, by 2020 the United States will face a shortage of