The TRADES Act (Teach Relevant Apprenticeships to Drive Economic Success Act) is about creating a pathway for apprenticeship programs to get official recognition from the federal government. Here's what it does: The Department of Labor can now authorize independent organizations, called Standards Recognition Entities, to evaluate and approve apprenticeship programs that are created and run by industries themselves. These industry-created programs are called Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs. Essentially, instead of the government directly approving every apprenticeship program, they're allowing trusted third-party organizations to do the vetting and approval work. This means businesses and trade organizations can develop apprenticeships that teach relevant, practical skills, and get them officially recognized more efficiently. The bill gives legal backing to rules that were originally created in 2020, then canceled in 2022, and now are being restored. For workers, this could mean more opportunities to learn skilled trades through programs that are tailored to what employers actually need. For employers and trade industries, it gives them more flexibility to create and manage apprenticeships that fit their specific needs while still having them officially recognized.

TRADES Act

Rosendale, Matthew M.

Teach Relevant Apprenticeships to Drive Economic Success Act or the TRADES Act This bill provides statutory authority for federal regulations titled Apprenticeship Programs, Labor Standards for Registration, Amendment of Regulations, originally published by the Department of Labor on March 11, 2020, and later rescinded on November 25, 2022. The rules permit the Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship to recognize qualified third-party entities, known as Standards Recognition Entities (SREs), which then evaluate and recognize Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs).