H.R. 9684: Pre-Apprenticeships To Hardhats Act

This bill would direct the Secretary of Labor to create a competitive grant program to help develop pre-apprenticeship programs in the building and construction trades. These programs are meant to prepare people to enter and succeed in registered apprenticeship programs.

What the grant program would do

The Department of Labor would award grants to eligible nonprofit partnerships that bring together employers, labor organizations, and possibly schools, workforce boards, community groups, veterans organizations, and small businesses. The bill says these partnerships should have experience running training or education programs and should be able to reach people who could benefit from this kind of training.

The grants would support projects that:

• Train people for entry into registered apprenticeships in construction-related trades.
• Develop curricula aligned with apprenticeship requirements and industry standards.
• Keep the pre-apprenticeship program connected to an actual registered apprenticeship program.
• Recruit, screen, assess, and enroll participants.
• Evaluate whether the program is working.

Who the bill is designed to help

The bill focuses on underrepresented populations, which it defines to include racial minorities, women, military veterans, members of federally recognized Indian tribes, long-term unemployed individuals, and people from low-income areas. The bill also allows projects serving people from certain low-income census tracts.

What kinds of activities can be funded

Grant money could be used to pay for training or education costs for participants, develop curriculum, maintain ties between the pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs, assess and enroll participants, and pay for evaluations. It could also be used for participant stipends during work-based training. The bill allows coordination with existing career and technical education programs and workforce programs.

Grant conditions and funding rules

The Secretary of Labor would make the grants on a competitive basis. Initial grants could last up to 3 years, and could be extended by up to 1 additional year if performance is satisfactory. The federal government would pay up to 75% of project costs, while the grantee would have to cover the rest with cash or in-kind contributions such as equipment, facilities, or services. When awarding grants, the Secretary would give priority to applicants that bring in additional public or private resources, including employer matches.

Performance and oversight

The bill would require the Secretary to set common performance measures, at minimum including whether participants enter registered apprenticeship programs. Grant recipients would have to arrange for evaluations of their projects, or participate in evaluations run by the Department of Labor. The results of those evaluations would be used to decide whether to extend or renew grants.

Funding authorization

The bill authorizes $20 million per year starting in fiscal year 2027 to carry out the program.

Relevant Companies

None found