Secretary Chavez-DeRemer on Registered Apprenticeships and Workforce Development Policy

Hello, I'm Mortimer, and welcome to this episode

of the Secretary of Labor podcast,

where we dive into the latest headlines

and buzz on the key figure shaping America's workforce.

Today, we're spotlighting US Secretary of Labor,

Laurie Chavez-Deremer, and her bold moves

under President Trump.

First up, major action on apprenticeships.

On March 9, 2026, the Department of Labor

issued new guidance to Supercharge,

Registered Apprenticeship Perchief Justice Senator,

read by T under NBC Movement.

According to the DOL's employment and training administration,

this includes Circulars,

2026-01-03, and Bulletin 2026-35.

Slashing red tape, speeding up registrations to 30 days,

and launching an online portal

for completion rates and timelines.

Secretary Chavez-Deremer said,

we're removing administrative roadblocks

to hit President Trump's goal of 1 million active apprentices.

Ted Magazine reports this flexibility

helps employers and industries like construction

launch high-quality programs

amid a 349,000-worker shortage

per associated builders and contractors.

Deputy Secretary Keith Sonderling

marked his one-year confirmation anniversary on March 12

in a DOL blog post highlighting partnerships

with education to align skills training,

AI apprenticeships for roles from tech to HVAC,

and reshoring factories for high-quality jobs.

He also touted record higher vets awards

to 88 employers and $23 million in grants for veterans,

including a new accommodations toolkit,

but not all smooth sailing.

On March 11,

Ogletree Deakin's Beltway Buzz and Littleer Policy Week

in Review Report,

that Senate Help Committee Chair Bill Cassidy

and 15 GOP Senators fired off a letter

to Secretary Chavez-Deremer,

slamming OSHA's inherited heat illness prevention proposal

as one-size-fits-all.

They urged centering worker safety

with pragmatic fixes on heat triggers,

acclimation, and coordinators,

amid ongoing hearings.

Social media is lighting up too.

Ex-posts from labor watchers

praise the apprenticeship push as pro-worker revolution.

While critics question if heat rule tweaks

prioritize business over safety,

Reddit threads on our politics and our economics,

debate AI upskilling versus union fears,

echoing House Dems' letter for AI transparency

to protect organizing.

Chavez-Deremer's steering DOL toward Trump's

America First Vision,

filling 700,000 openings with debt-free training

and veteran focus,

exciting times for American workers.

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