Advocacy and Policy Analysis

Apprenticeships for America serves as the voice of the apprenticeship field in Washington and beyond. Our advocacy efforts focus on enacting a sustained Pay for Apprenticeship financing system, modernizing the US apprenticeship system so that it is built for greater scale and diversity, connecting apprenticeship to national economic and security priorities, and strengthening policy support for apprenticeship in the states.

At the federal level, AFA tracks legislation, administration policy, and regulatory matters. We produce nonpartisan briefing documents for AFA’s members, engage AFA members and partners in developing policy recommendations, and present our positions to a wide range of audiences. Key efforts to date have included gaining congressional support for advancing pay for success strategies in apprenticeship and securing the use of US Department of Labor funding for pay for success pilots in the states. AFA also launched a significant policy analysis and advocacy efforts on President Biden’s propose rule making on apprenticeship (since withdrawn) and President Trump’s apprenticeship-related Executive Orders.

AFA also tracks state efforts to support apprenticeship and offer our perspectives to state officials. This includes looking at exemplar legislation, major announcements from governors, and initiatives by state apprenticeship offices or other state agencies. AFA partners with state advocacy organizations to provide policy analysis and advice. 

Finally, AFA joins with a broad group of policy research and advocacy organizations to advance the apprenticeship agenda. It is a member of the America Forward Coalition.

AFA’s key policy and advocacy materials relating to current policy initiatives are listed below. A full list of advocacy-related resources can be found on our resources page.

Current Policy Initiatives

• A Federal Pay for Apprenticeship Policy
• President Trump’s Executive Orders on Apprenticeship
• 2026 Federal Appropriations
• Re-funding California’s Apprenticeship Innovation Fund
• Implementing Maryland’s RAISE Act