Developing America’s Workforce Act

(1) by redesignating section 4 as section 5; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

In this section:

The term industry-recognized apprenticeship program —

(A) means a high-quality, competency-based apprenticeship program that is—

(i) recognized by a standards recognition entity; and

(ii) developed or delivered by an entity such as a trade or industry group, corporation, nonprofit organization, institution of higher education, labor organization, or labor-management organization (among other entities, as determined appropriate by the Secretary); and

(B) may include a program that meets the requirements of subparagraph (A) and trains apprentices to perform construction activities.

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Labor.

The term standards recognition entity means a private sector or public sector entity that—

(A) is recognized by the Secretary (acting through the Administrator of the Office of Apprenticeship of the Department of Labor) for purposes of recognizing apprenticeship programs as industry-recognized apprenticeship programs;

(B) has a demonstrated ability to ensure an industry-recognized apprenticeship program meets the standards described in subsection (c); and

(C) has the capacity to perform the oversight necessary to ensure the ongoing compliance of an industry-recognized apprenticeship program with such standards.

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Developing America’s Workforce Act, the Secretary, after consultation with private sector industry associations, institutions of higher education, State, local, and Tribal governmental agencies, and other stakeholders the Secretary determines appropriate, shall establish a process to recognize entities as standards recognition entities for purposes of recognizing industry-recognized apprenticeship programs under this Act.

The Secretary shall not deny recognition as a standards recognition entity to a private sector or public sector entity that meets the requirements of subparagraphs (B) and (C) of subsection (a)(3) and satisfactorily completes the process established under paragraph (1).

The Secretary shall ensure that the recognition process for standards recognition entities established under paragraph (1) is a flexible process with low administrative and reporting burdens for the standards recognition entities and industry-recognized apprenticeship programs.

Each standards recognition entity shall establish standards for the industry-recognized apprenticeship programs recognized by the entity that, at a minimum, ensure that each industry-recognized apprenticeship program—

(1) includes—

(A) paid work;

(B) on-the-job learning;

(C) a mentorship component;

(D) education and classroom instruction;

(E) a written development plan and apprenticeship agreement; and

(F) safety and supervision components; and

(2) provides, during participation in or upon completion of the apprenticeship, an industry-recognized credential.

The Secretary shall make publicly available, in a manner that does not reveal personally identifiable information, the program outcomes for each industry-recognized apprenticeship program recognized by the entity on the following performance measures—

(A) the percentage of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from the program;

(B) the median earnings of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from the program;

(C) the median earnings increase of program participants that exited the program, calculated as the median participant earnings in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from the program minus median participant earnings in the second quarter prior to entering the program; and

(D) the percentage of program participants who obtain an industry recognized credential during participation in or within 1 year after exit from the program.

A standards recognition entity shall report, on an annual basis, to the Secretary any participant data determined appropriate by the Secretary for the purposes of paragraph (1).

Nothing in this section shall be construed as affecting apprenticeship programs registered under this Act and recognized by the Secretary of Labor.