Drawing inspiration from his television background, former President Donald Trump's administration is executing a real-world strategy to boost vocational training across the United States. Having famously presided over NBC's 'The Apprentice', Trump earlier this year signed an executive order with an ambitious target: to create one million new active apprenticeships nationwide.
A Surge in Skilled Training Programmes
According to an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, US Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-Deremer revealed significant progress. The Department of Labor (DOL) has already established close to 300,000 new active apprenticeships so far this year. These are structured, paid programmes that blend hands-on work with classroom learning.
The drive is heavily focused on traditional and emerging trades. Many new positions are for future HVAC technicians, plumbers, shipbuilders, carpenters, and boilermakers. Reflecting modern economic needs, there is also a major push for tech roles, including electricians, cybersecurity technicians, and IT generalists, partly to fuel the growing domestic artificial intelligence industry.
'President Trump has understood the value of Registered Apprenticeships for decades, which is why he set an ambitious goal of reaching one million apprentices nationwide,' Secretary Chavez-Deremer stated. She added her personal commitment to the cause, saying, 'I'm committed to doing everything I can to help Make America Skilled Again.'
Expanding into New Sectors and Protecting Workers
The apprenticeship model is being deliberately expanded beyond its traditional boundaries. The Secretary confirmed that the DOL is creating opportunities in sectors like law enforcement and firefighting, where such programmes have not typically been standard. 'We've seen it in manufacturing, we've seen it in the trades. We've seen it in healthcare,' she said. 'We've had conversations with law enforcement.'
Concurrently, the DOL is intensifying efforts to protect American workers from unfair competition. A key initiative is the reform of the H1B visa programme for specialised foreign workers, which has faced criticism for potentially displacing US citizens from higher-paying roles. The DOL's new enforcement effort, dubbed Project Firewall, already has 200 active investigations into US companies for potential violations.
Secretary Chavez-Deremer described some abuses as 'egregious,' ranging from misleading applicants about pay to offering jobs exclusively to non-citizens. Violators risk being debarred from the programme. 'What we want to always protect is the American worker first and foremost,' she emphasised.
Embracing AI and Future-Proofing Jobs
Looking to the future, the Labor Secretary is also directing her team to engage with artificial intelligence. Contrary to fears of widespread job losses, she argues that AI will augment the workforce. 'AI is here to stay,' she said, predicting it will 'assist employers and employees in the next generation of greatness.'
She cited a visit to a coil manufacturer where AI-enabled robotics increased production. Instead of layoffs, the company added new lines and hired more workers to manage the expanded output. 'That company reinvested those dollars... There's a place for being nimble, being flexible,' she noted, highlighting a model of adaptation.
With these combined efforts on apprenticeships, visa enforcement, and technology adoption, the administration aims to prepare the American workforce for evolving market demands. Overall, there are currently between 750,000 and 800,000 active apprenticeships across the United States, with the push for one million firmly underway.
