91ÊÓƵ

U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta announced members of a new Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion. The advisory group has been appointed to identify strategies and propose regulations to grow apprenticeship. The task force will include Montez L. King, Executive Director of the National Institute for Manufacturing Skills (NIMS).

The task force is chaired by Secretary Acosta and vice-chaired by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. Among its members are representatives of U.S. companies, trade and industry groups, educational institutions, and labor unions. The group will submit to the White House a report recommending:

• Federal initiatives to promote apprenticeship
• Administrative and legislative reforms that would facilitate the formation and success of apprenticeship programs
• The most effective strategies for creating industry-recognized apprenticeships
• The most effective strategies for amplifying and encouraging private-sector initiatives to promote apprenticeship

“Right now, there are 6.1 million unfilled jobs in the United States and another 6.8 million people seeking employment. Manufacturing alone will see 2 million jobs go unfilled over the next decade due to the skills gap,” Mr. King said. “Apprenticeship is the ‘work-and-learn’ solution that we need. Apprentices learn in-demand skills from industry experts while getting paid, which eases the apprentices’ student debt as a result. Apprenticeship is a win for individuals and industry.”

Mr. King joined NIMS in 2013 and was named executive director of the national 501(c)3 nonprofit in October 2017.