National Apprenticeship Week, 2016

Proclamation 9542 of November 10, 2016

National Apprenticeship Week, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

When I took office, our economy was in freefall--
millions of Americans lost their jobs and paid the
price of the worst recession of our time. But with grit
and determination, our people fought their way back and
began working to rebuild an economy that works for
everyone. Although we have added more than 15 million
jobs in the last 6 years, too many people are still
feeling left behind in our 21st-century economy. And
because the jobs of today and tomorrow require more
advanced skills and training, apprenticeship programs
play an increasingly important role in helping people
succeed in the workforce. This week, we celebrate the
ways this job-driven training model prepares Americans
for meaningful employment, and we resolve to expand
access to this essential pathway to opportunity.

Registered apprenticeships connect job-seekers to
better paying jobs that are in high demand, and by
providing hands-on experiences and allowing Americans
to earn while they learn, they help workers gain the
skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in our modern
economy. More than 90 percent of apprentices find
employment after completing their programs, with
graduates earning an average starting salary over
$60,000. In addition to benefitting employees,
apprenticeship programs also help employers by
increasing productivity and innovation with a high
return on investment. A variety of industries--from
healthcare to construction to information technology
and advanced manufacturing--are using apprenticeship
programs to meet their workforce needs. To bolster the
competitiveness of those industries and others, it is
imperative that our Nation continues investing in
apprenticeship programs. Across our country, State and
local leaders have done just that--in some cases
expanding apprenticeships by over 20 percent in their
regions. And since 2014, 290 colleges have joined in
the effort to offer college credit toward a degree for
completing apprenticeship programs.

My Administration applauds these widespread efforts and
remains committed to supporting apprenticeship
programs. Two years ago, I announced a goal to double
the number of registered apprenticeships, and with
125,000 more active apprenticeships today than in 2014,
we have seen the largest 3-year increase in nearly a
decade. We invested unprecedented levels of Federal
funding in apprenticeships, including recently awarding
more than $50 million in new grants to States through
the ApprenticeshipUSA initiative. This year, we also
invested over $20 million to start new apprenticeship
programs and help historically underrepresented
individuals--including women, minorities, and people
with disabilities--access apprenticeship programs. Last
year, I signed the first-ever annual Federal funding
for apprenticeship programs into law, and I will keep
calling on the Congress to continue funding these
efforts so that this work is carried forward for years
to come. And because those who have served our country
in uniform deserve every opportunity to enjoy the
American dream they helped defend, we are working to
provide assistance to service members and veterans who
seek to enter registered apprenticeship programs.

During National Apprenticeship Week, employers,
sponsors, and leaders across our country will host open
houses to highlight the significant value

of apprenticeships in our economy. Let us encourage
more employers to offer--and more workers to take
advantage of--these indispensable learning and training
opportunities, and together let us continue working to
equip the American workforce to meet the demands of an
ever changing future so it is filled with prosperity
and opportunity for all who are willing to work for it.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, 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 13 through
November 19, 2016, as National Apprenticeship Week. I
urge the Congress, State and local governments,
educational institutions, industry and labor leaders,
and all Americans to support apprenticeship programs in
the United States and to raise awareness of their
contributions to our country.

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