ABC President and CEO Mike Bellaman commented today on the U.S. Department of Labor’s proposed rule on industry-recognized apprenticeship programs—or IRAPs—which initially excludes the construction industry. 

“Established industry-recognized apprenticeship programs have been utilized by the merit shop construction industry for decades to provide hardworking Americans with not just a job, but a well-paid, in-demand construction career. ABC members invested $1.6 billion in craft, leadership and safety education for more than 980,000 course attendees in 2018 alone. And ABC will continue to lead the sector in recruiting, educating and upskilling the people who build the places where we live, learn, work and play. We are still reviewing the proposed rule and look forward to providing comments illustrating why all Americans would benefit from the construction industry being included in the IRAP final rule.”