Labor Department Issues Apprenticeship Guidance

DOL News Releases

Published March 9th, 2026

Detected March 10th, 2026

Summary

The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration has issued new guidance to streamline the Registered Apprenticeship system, reduce burdens for program sponsors, and improve transparency. The guidance aims to accelerate growth and clarify program design, roles, and completion rates, with a commitment to 30-day registration determinations.

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What changed

The U.S. Department of Labor, through its Employment and Training Administration (ETA), has released new guidance aimed at enhancing the Registered Apprenticeship system. This guidance focuses on increasing flexibility, reducing administrative burdens for program sponsors, promoting consistency in the registration process across states, elevating quality standards, and improving transparency. Key components include clearer direction on program design, defined roles for state apprenticeship agencies, and clarified methods for determining completion rates. The ETA has also committed to making final registration determinations within 30 days and launched an online portal for apprenticeship completion data and registration performance.

This initiative is intended to facilitate the scaling of Registered Apprenticeship programs to meet demand and support the goal of increasing active apprentices. Program sponsors and state apprenticeship agencies should review the updated guidance to ensure compliance with new standards and processes. The agency's commitment to faster determinations and greater transparency may impact program development timelines and operational efficiency. While the guidance itself is non-binding, adherence to its principles is expected to be crucial for entities seeking to establish or maintain registered apprenticeship programs.

What to do next

Review new guidance on Registered Apprenticeship program design, roles, and completion rates.
Familiarize with the ETA's commitment to 30-day registration determinations.
Explore the new online portal for apprenticeship program data and registration performance.

Source document (simplified)

News Release

US Department of Labor issues guidance on Registered Apprenticeship aimed at accelerating growth, reducing burdens, improving transparency

WASHINGTON, DC – T he U.S. Department of Labor today issued guidance on the Registered Apprenticeship system designed to improve flexibility and reduce burdens for program sponsors, promote clarity and consistency in the registration process across states, elevate quality standards, and increase transparency surrounding the structure of the National Apprenticeship system.

Issued by the department’s Employment and Training Administration, the guidance gives apprenticeship program sponsors clearer direction on how to design Registered Apprenticeship programs that fit their workforce’s needs, outlines the roles and functions of state apprenticeship agencies and councils, and clarifies how to determine apprenticeship completion rates. ETA’s Office of Apprenticeship also committed to making final apprenticeship determinations within 30 days of receiving registrations.

The agency also announced the launch of an online portal featuring data on apprenticeship program completion rates and a webpage highlighting apprenticeship registration timelines and transparency on registration performance.

“We're removing the administrative roadblocks that have prevented Registered Apprenticeship from scaling to meet demand,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer. “As we work toward President Trump's goal of 1 million active apprentices, the Department of Labor's commitment to faster decisions, clearer standards, and greater flexibility will enable employers across all industries to launch high-quality Registered Apprenticeship programs and help more Americans access high-paying careers.”

ETA issued the following Registered Apprenticeship guidance:

Circular 2026-01: Provides updated guidelines for Registered Apprenticeship program design under the three approaches to completing an apprenticeship program.
Circular 2026-02: Outlines the roles and functions of state apprenticeship agencies and apprenticeship councils.
Circular 2026-03: Clarifies how apprenticeship program completion rates are determined and used to improve program quality and announces a Registered Apprenticeship performance data portal.
Bulletin 2026-35 : Solidifies the Office of Apprenticeship’s commitment to making apprenticeship program registration determinations within 30 days and announces launch of online resource that will promote transparency on registration performance and ensure ETA meets its 30-day program determination commitment. Registered Apprenticeship is a proven model of workforce development that pairs on-the-job learning under an experienced mentor with related technical instruction to prepare apprentices for high-paying jobs in skilled occupations. By providing the clarity and streamlined processes needed to expand Registered Apprenticeship access, today’s guidance advances President Trump's ambitious goal of reaching and exceeding 1 million active apprentices set out in Executive Order, Preparing Americans for the High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future.

For more information on today’s guidance and how it can help to accelerate growth, reduce burdens, improve transparency, join ETA for a public webinar on March 27 at 1pm ET. Register for the webinar on WorkforceGPS. ETA will also release new training modules for today’s guidance in the Registered Apprenticeship Academy after the webinar.

Read ETA circulars 2026-01; 2026-02; 2026-03; and Bulletin 2026-35.

Agency Employment and Training Administration Date March 9, 2026 Release Number 26-110-NAT Media Contact: Christine Feroli Phone Number 202-693-4664 Email feroli.christine.e@dol.gov Media Contact: Lorynn Holloway Phone Number (202) 693-4652 Email holloway.lorynn.n@dol.gov Share This
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