S. 2028 — Supporting Apprenticeship Colleges Act of 2025

This section establishes a community outreach grant program under which the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, awards grants of up to $500,000 to eligible entities offering construction and manufacturing-oriented registered apprenticeship programs (i.e., U.S. Department of Labor-approved programs combining paid on-the-job training with related instruction). Grants must support outreach to (1) high schools to educate students, parents, guardians, and faculty on program benefits; (2) local businesses and employers, primarily in rural, exurban, and suburban areas, to build relationships and maximize post-graduation employment there; and (3) local workforce development boards and apprenticeship intermediaries to reach nontraditional student populations. In awarding grants, the Secretary must prioritize eligible entities targeting rural students, first-generation college students, minority students, nontraditional students, and other underrepresented populations. The section authorizes $5 million for each of FY2026 through FY2030.

This section establishes a grant program administered by the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, to provide eligible entities with grants of up to $500,000 to expand advising and support services—such as career advising, mentoring, mental health counseling, and childcare—for enrollees in construction- and manufacturing-oriented registered apprenticeship programs to increase retention, persistence, and completion. Grantees must report to the Secretary on grant activities, participating students (including the percentage who are high school students), progress in boosting enrollment and completion rates (particularly for underrepresented populations), and advancement toward primary performance indicators under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA; 29 U.S.C. 3141(b)(2)(A))—such as employment rates, median earnings, credential attainment, and measurable skill gains—within 180 days of concluding grant activities. The section authorizes $5 million annually for FY2026 through FY2030.

This section defines terms used in the Act, including "(1) construction and manufacturing-oriented apprenticeship college," meaning an institution of higher education (as defined in Higher Education Act §101(a), i.e., a public or nonprofit institution providing degree or 2-year programs acceptable for full credit toward a degree, among other requirements) that sponsors a construction and manufacturing-oriented registered apprenticeship program; "(2) construction and manufacturing-oriented registered apprenticeship program," meaning a registered apprenticeship program that provides coursework and training for construction or manufacturing employment (e.g., painter, drywall finisher, glazier, glassworker), leads to or awards credits toward a recognized postsecondary credential, and is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency under Higher Education Act title IV part H; and "(3) eligible entity," meaning such an apprenticeship college. The section also incorporates by reference definitions of other terms, including first-generation college student, high school, recognized postsecondary credential, and registered apprenticeship program.