U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R‑LA) recently introduced two bills to expand and modernize apprenticeship programs by improving data transparency and streamlining program approval. The ADVICE Act, co-sponsored with Senator Tommy Tuberville (R‑AL), would allow states and apprenticeship sponsors to collect and analyze key data on wages, retention, and completion rates, helping them identify successful models and replicate them. The START Act, co-led with Senator Jim Banks (R‑IN), focuses on accelerating the registration process for new apprenticeship programs, ensuring faster responses and lowering barriers for industries new to apprenticeships.
The ADVICE Act directs the federal government, in coordination with states, to establish clearer and more consistent data standards so apprenticeship sponsors and state agencies can measure program outcomes such as wages, retention, and completion rates. It aims to help states and employers replicate successful programs, expand participation, and better align apprenticeships with workforce needs.
The START Act would amend the National Apprenticeship Act to require the Department of Labor and State Apprenticeship Agencies to approve or deny complete apprenticeship applications within 90 days and to provide feedback on incomplete submissions within 30 days. It codifies key apprenticeship definitions and registration standards in statute, improves consistency across states, and requires public reporting of approval timelines to increase accountability. Its goal is to establish clear timelines, definitions, and transparency requirements for registered apprenticeship programs.
Argentum appreciates the introduction of these bills as they align closely with Argentum’s successful apprenticeship and workforce development initiatives by improving transparency, strengthening data on outcomes, and removing unnecessary barriers to participation. We believe that apprenticeships work when employers are empowered to build and scale programs that meet real workforce needs, and that modernizing and streamlining the apprenticeship system will help more employers expand proven training pathways and give more workers access to meaningful, career-building opportunities.