NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK, 2020
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BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Apprenticeships provide American workers tangible skills
and an industry-recognized credential. They strengthen our
Nation's economy and help millions of men and women provide for
their families without taking on the financial burden of student
loans and other related debt. During National Apprenticeship
Week, we celebrate the American workers who create a brighter
future for themselves and their families through
apprenticeships, and we further our commitment to bolstering
opportunity as we continue our economic comeback.
For decades, politicians and bureaucrats in Washington
neglected workers, shipped jobs overseas, and abandoned
essential manufacturing industries. When I took office, I
reversed these policies and pledged to always put the American
economy, labor force, and worker first. Under my leadership, we
have cut taxes, removed burdensome regulations on businesses,
and renegotiated our trade deals, all of which led to historic
job creation and economic growth. Apprenticeships are a pillar
of our effort to continue this trend, and my Administration
remains committed to supporting initiatives that empower
Americans and prepare our workers to compete and thrive in a
21st-century economy.
Since taking office, my Administration has worked
tirelessly to empower more Americans with the benefits of
apprenticeships and the skills they provide. In June of 2017,
I signed an Executive Order on Expanding Apprenticeships in
America. Under my leadership, the Department of Labor has
This document is scheduled to be published in the
Federal Register on 11/12/2020 and available online at
federalregister.gov/d/2020-25191, and on govinfo.gov
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awarded $80 million across 42 States and territories for
occupational skills education for American students and workers,
800,000 Americans have joined apprenticeship programs, and we
are well on the way to meeting my goal of 1 million new
apprentices by September of next year. In Fiscal Year 2019
alone, we registered more than 250,000 new apprentices in vital
industries, including advanced manufacturing, financial
services, educational services, transportation, healthcare, and
informational technology. My Administration also recently
launched the Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Program model,
which provides opportunities for industry-led, market-driven
training that expands workforce development and opens windows to
well-paying jobs in high-demand industries. In recognition of
our Nation's obligation to our military men and women, my
Administration has also expanded the United Services Military
Apprenticeship Program across all branches, providing
apprenticeship opportunities to our service members while they
are still on active duty to help them prepare for prosperous and
fulfilling lives after their time in uniform.
My Administration will also continue to work with industry
partners to provide workers with the skills they need to succeed
in today's economy through the Pledge to America's Workers.
This initiative recently proved essential as our Nation
confronted the unprecedented challenges of the coronavirus
pandemic. As part of our ongoing response, we launched the
largest industrial mobilization since World War II, and
thousands of new apprentices answered the call for skilled labor
in key sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, cybersecurity,
and information technology. These efforts demonstrate that,
when government allows the free market to respond, the spirit of
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the American worker and the strength and resolve of America's
economy will overcome any challenge.
This week, we recommit to bolstering economic opportunity
through apprenticeships. I encourage individuals, business
leaders, and government officials to support hardworking
Americans and their families through expanding apprenticeship
education and training, recognizing the essential role
apprenticeships play in sustaining our national 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 8 through November 14, 2020, as
National Apprenticeship Week.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth
day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty,
and of the Independence of the United States of America the
two hundred and forty-fifth.
[FR Doc. 2020-25191 Filed: 11/10/2020 11:15 am; Publication Date: 11/12/2020]