Apprenticeships to College Act

Key Points

• This bill creates a formal partnership between the Department of Labor and the Department of Education to build a national network — called the Registered Apprenticeship College Consortium — connecting colleges, employers, and apprenticeship programs so workers can earn college credit while training on the job.
• Participating colleges would be required to sign agreements that let apprentices earn academic credit for classroom learning and hands-on training completed during their apprenticeship, and to create electronic transcripts that document both academic work and on-the-job training.
• The bill directs technical assistance on how apprentices can use federal financial aid — including the Federal Work-Study program — to help pay for the classroom instruction portion of their apprenticeship, potentially making training much more affordable.
• A new public website would list all participating colleges, apprenticeship programs, credentials awarded, and available occupations, giving workers a clear view of their options before committing to a program.
• Participation is entirely voluntary — no college or apprenticeship sponsor is required to join the consortium, keeping the program flexible rather than mandatory.