Overview

• President Trump has signed an executive order directing the Departments of Labor, Education, and Commerce to overhaul federal workforce programs to address critical needs in emerging industries.
• The initiative sets a goal of supporting more than one million apprenticeships annually, focusing on skilled trades and jobs in sectors like artificial intelligence and manufacturing.
• The order seeks to shift emphasis from traditional college pathways to vocational training, aiming to prepare Americans for high-paying careers that do not require a four-year degree.
• Trump’s strategy pairs workforce training with protectionist measures, such as tariffs, to revive domestic manufacturing and tackle the skilled labor shortage.
• Federal agencies will identify ways to maximize existing resources, streamline programs, and redirect funding from ineffective initiatives to support these goals.