House subcommittee hears bipartisan support for expanding apprenticeships, warns cuts could undercut 1,000,000-apprentice goal

Chairman Owens convened the Subcommittee on Higher Education Workforce Development to examine how apprenticeships and work‑based learning can expand pathways to careers, framing apprenticeships as a way to help workers earn while they learn and reduce debt burdens.

The hearing brought four witnesses: Jamie Angel of Caliber Collision, Joe Ross of REACH University, John Ladd of Jobs for the Future (JFF), and Natasha Sherwood of the Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC). Each described models for scaling apprenticeship programs and the supports needed to sustain them.

Jamie Angel, senior director of apprenticeships and transitional programs at Caliber Collision, described Caliber’s TAP program and said the company pays apprentices from day one and provides benefits. "TAP had served almost 1,000 apprentices in Texas," Angel said, urging incentives and sponsor flexibility so employers can scale pipelines across industries.

Joe Ross, president of REACH University, outlined the apprenticeship‑degree model that the university uses to let working adults "turn jobs into degrees," emphasizing affordability and workplace‑based credit. He said REACH limits learner out‑of‑pocket cost to $75 a month and that the model produced high completion and immediate placement rates.

John Ladd, senior adviser at Jobs for the Future, said registered apprenticeship is an effective training system but recommended a durable national strategy. "Congress should reauthorize the National Apprenticeship Act," he said, calling reauthorization the clearest path to modernization and long‑term funding.

Natasha Sherwood, workforce development director for IEC, described a group sponsorship model that allows small contractors to join a shared program, and highlighted technology and wraparound services (AI tutoring, virtual reality, transportation assistance) to reduce barriers.

Several members pressed witnesses on the administration’s recent actions. Ranking Member Adams said the Department of Labor reduced staff and canceled apprenticeship grants and asked whether those moves, combined with guidance that eliminates some time‑based guardrails, threaten the goal of reaching 1,000,000 active apprentices by 2030. Ross and Ladd said disruptions and reduced resources make it harder to meet that target; Ladd warned that capacity at the federal level matters for technical assistance, data systems and accountability.

Committee members also debated project labor agreements and equity of approval processes for union and nonunion programs. Representative Onder and others said PLAs can sometimes limit opportunities for nonunion merit‑shop contractors; Sherwood explained that restrictive ratios, approval practices and inconsistent wage rules can block locally organized programs from being registered.

No formal votes were taken. The hearing closed with members urging bipartisan action on reauthorization, sustained funding and incentives such as tax credits or pay‑for‑performance experiments to make apprenticeship expansion sustainable.

The subcommittee left several concrete items for follow up: potential reauthorization of the National Apprenticeship Act, questions about DOL capacity and funding levels, and further review of how to scale degree apprenticeships and group sponsorships without compromising quality.

The subcommittee adjourned with Chair Owens thanking the witnesses and members for the bipartisan engagement.