National Apprenticeship Week, 2019

Proclamation 9964 of November 8, 2019

National Apprenticeship Week, 2019

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Our Nation's robust economy continues to flourish,
creating new opportunities for Americans and securing
our continued dominance of global markets. As
President, I have reduced tax burdens and eliminated
unnecessary regulations, producing the lowest
unemployment rate in 50 years and more job openings
than there are job seekers for 19 months in a row. My
Administration is committed to helping all Americans
take advantage of this historically strong job market
and secure lasting prosperity by ensuring they have
access to skills-training that will enable them to
launch successful careers in any industry. As we
observe National Apprenticeship Week, we celebrate the
growing optimism of workers across our country and
strengthen our resolve to continue empowering our
workers to achieve the American Dream.

Encouraging the creation and expansion of
apprenticeships is a cornerstone of my commitment to
helping improve employment prospects for students and
workers. My Administration continues to make
unprecedented investments to ensure apprenticeships
remain accessible to all Americans, allocating more
than $300 million to that mission this year alone. We
awarded nearly $184 million to the Scaling
Apprenticeship Through Sector-Based Strategies grant
program to encourage private-public partnerships in
high-growth industries, including information
technology, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare. We
have also invested $160 million to expand the number of
apprentices in Registered Apprenticeship programs
nationwide, helping to increase the number and
diversity of apprentices in every State.

Through workplace and classroom education, apprentices
gain valuable knowledge and credentials, drastically
improving their future career trajectory.
Apprenticeship programs enable Americans to
simultaneously earn and learn while avoiding burdensome
student loans. They also guarantee American companies
access to the skilled employees they need to accelerate
growth and innovation. We have achieved great success
increasing the availability of these invaluable
programs, with 240,000 new apprentices hired and 3,300
new programs launched just last year.

I am determined to build upon our economic successes
and encourage business leaders, industry experts, and
educational institutions to seize the opportunity to
expand career-changing apprenticeship programs. I have
called on the private sector to invest in the education
and skills training of their future and current workers
so that all Americans are prepared for the jobs of
today and tomorrow. To date, more than 360 companies
have committed to investing in over 14 million students
and workers through our Pledge to America's Workers. My
Administration is also developing standards for
industry-recognized apprenticeship programs, which will
assist workers in obtaining the knowledge they need to
secure family-sustaining careers by taking advantage of
high-quality, demand-driven opportunities.
Additionally, we are supporting the growth of youth
apprenticeship programs that combine academic and
technical classroom instruction with work experience
and increasing awareness among middle and high school
students about the many benefits of apprenticeships.

This week, we recommit our efforts to fostering greater
opportunity for current and future workers by
supporting expanded access to apprenticeships. By
increasing training and educational programs, we will
renew our Nation's workforce and help hardworking
Americans create a brighter future for themselves and
their families while further strengthening our robust
economy.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim November 11 through
November 17, 2019, as National Apprenticeship Week.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord two
thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and forty-
fourth.