	Background

Apprenticeship is an employee training approach that combines on-the-job training and formal instruction to teach workers the practical and theoretical aspects of a skilled occupation. Employees benefit from registered apprenticeship by advancing their skills and obtaining a credential recognized throughout an industry. Lack of Systematic Identification of Occupations and the Need to Allay Employers’ Concerns Slow Expansion of Apprenticeships

Progress in expanding apprenticeships to address skill needs in occupations not traditionally apprenticed has been hampered because Labor’s efforts to identify new apprenticeable occupations are not systematic, nor has Labor been able to alleviate some employers’ apprehension about program requirements. Labor has primarily reacted to employers’ requests for apprenticeships in new occupations and has allowed industry to take the lead in requesting new occupations. In the last 5 years, 19 occupations have been recognized by Labor as apprenticeable and a substantial number of these have been in less traditional occupations. Officials commented that once employers fully understand the reasons for apprenticeship requirements, they are often supportive of apprenticeship and can see the benefit to both themselves and the employee. For example, the childcare industry typically has low wages relative to other industries. It also limits Labor’s ability to measure progress on the use of apprenticeship in newly approved occupations. As part of this effort, we recommend that the Secretary of Labor ensure that ATELS   Lead a systematic effort to work with state apprenticeship councils and others interested to identify apprenticeable occupations that have shortages of skilled labor and establish plans for promoting apprenticeship programs in these occupations,   Work with other federal workforce development programs to identify funding for developing apprenticeships when additional support is needed,   Establish a mechanism for sharing among Labor representatives and employers information on apprenticeship programs, particularly those in occupations not traditionally apprenticed, and   Ensure that the apprenticeship database contains detailed information on current programs so that accurate and complete information is shared and progress in meeting labor market needs can be evaluated.
What GAO Found

Apprenticeship, which combines supervised on-the-job training with formal instruction, benefits both employers and employees by providing the skills and knowledge necessary for a specific job and a credential recognized throughout an industry. The use of apprenticeship is standard practice in some industries, but expansion beyond traditional occupations has been limited. The Department of Labor has not systematically identified new occupations suitable for apprenticeship programs, nor has it successfully alleviated the concerns of some employers about apprenticeship requirements, which has slowed the expansion of apprenticeship to new occupations. Labor has approved 19 new occupations for apprenticeships in the last five years, and many of these have been in less traditional occupations, such as internetworking technicians. Employers are often wary of apprenticeship programs. For example, some employers are reluctant to commit to incremental increases in wages as required by apprenticeship regulations. GAO identified several apprenticeship programs in which apprenticeship training helped to develop workers with sought-after skills. The key to the establishment of the several programs GAO reviewed was the close interaction between employers and federal or state apprenticeship officials to ensure that employers understood the value of apprenticeships.