National Apprenticeship Week is a moment to celebrate apprenticeships in our economy. Registered apprenticeships are federally recognized work-and-learn programs. How much do you know about apprenticeships? Let’s play “Two Truths and a Lie” to find out!
A. Registered apprenticeships have grown in popularity in recent years as a result of interest among employers and workers.
B. All apprenticeships are federally registered.
C. The registered apprenticeship program has become an outdated, exclusive program that only benefits a select few industries.
Let’s take these statements one at a time:
A. TRUE! Nationwide, there were over 680,000 registered apprentices in 2024 (the most recent year for which there is data), up from 593,690 in 2021. The federal Registered Apprentice Program (RAP), which oversees federally accredited apprentices, has grown approximately 90% since 2012, according to the Department of Labor.
B. LIE! Federally-registered apprenticeships are not the only apprenticeships or the only legitimate ones. Just as many Americans participate in non-registered apprenticeship programs as in RAP. Many private sector employers and industries credential their own apprenticeship programs and deliver valuable upskilling opportunities to workers.
Independent apprenticeships are highly flexible and come in all shapes and sizes. They range from structured to free-form and vary by length, measurements of success, and many other factors. They focus on competency-based training rather than time spent in a classroom so that trainees can demonstrate they are skilled.
C. TRUE! The Registered Apprenticeship program has existed in federal law since the 1930s and has been primarily used by the construction industry. Sponsors are largely dominated by labor unions. The program is administered by the Department of Labor and states. Rigid requirements for on-the-job hours, training, wages, safety, and strict limits on the types of occupations that can be registered make the program inflexible and out of step with the ever-evolving labor market. Added layers of reporting and red tape make these programs less attractive to companies and industries that want training programs that fit their needs.
In 2017, President Donald Trump attempted to create a new program of high-quality industry-recognized apprenticeships by allowing companies, trade associations, and unions to develop their own guidelines. That regulation was overturned by the Biden administration. In April 2025, President Trump signed an executive order, the “Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future,” which aims to create one million new active apprenticeships annually.