Statement

Our Nation’s strength depends on the talent and determination of our skilled workers who build, create, and innovate each and every day. This National Apprenticeship Week, my Administration recommits to advancing apprenticeship opportunities that empower young Americans in skilled trades, unleash the full might and potential of America’s workforce, and contribute to our enduring prosperity.

Apprentices represent the next generation of our unstoppable workforce, and my Administration remains committed to strengthening our economy and driving policies that put them first. To shield American manufacturing from unfair foreign competition and bring jobs back to our shores, we are imposing robust tariffs that are leveling the playing field for America’s workers, securing trade deals that are bringing hundreds of billions of dollars into our country, cutting taxes to let workers and businesses thrive, and slashing costs and regulations so American industry can grow faster than ever before.

Last year, I was proud to sign an Executive Order to modernize our workforce programs, including expanding apprenticeships to new industries while creating a plan to exceed more than one million new active Registered Apprenticeships. I am also committed to ensuring that apprenticeship opportunities reflect advancements in technology. For this reason, I ordered the Department of Labor to increase participation in artificial intelligence and nuclear energy Registered Apprenticeship programs—keeping our Nation at the forefront of innovation and ingenuity.

By bolstering apprenticeship opportunities, we are preparing American workers with the skills they need to succeed in industries vital to our economic success, including in construction, manufacturing, energy, and emerging technological fields. We are increasing access to stable, high-paying jobs, boosting wages, and providing Americans with alternate pathways to pursue successful careers beyond a traditional college degree. In the last year alone, 300,000 Americans started apprenticeships, building a stronger workforce that is ready to meet the tremendous surge of industry and innovation ahead.

This National Apprenticeship Week, we celebrate the value of apprenticeships and the hardworking Americans—not illegal immigrants—who are building the future of this country with their own hands. My Administration remains steadfast in our resolve to build a future defined by opportunity, innovation, and strength—where every citizen has the tools to succeed and our workforce remains the strongest and brightest in the world.