The U.S. Department of Labor is revising the rules surrounding apprenticeship programs, with the goal of increasing the number of industry-recognized apprenticeship programs (IRAPs) and the quality of such programs across the country.
In the midst of a workforce crisis, that news might normally warrant some excitement and closer scrutiny from HVAC professionals and their skilled trade cousins. However, one clause in the proposed rule stifles any such enthusiasm by exempting two notable groups: the military and the construction industry.