On the recordNovember 5, 2015
I rise today to shine a spotlight on apprentices, one of our Nation's oldest forms of education and still one of the smartest investments we can make as a nation. The week we are in the middle of right now--this very week--is National Apprenticeship Week. I am honored to be joined today by Senator Franken, who will also be making remarks in support of the value of apprenticeships. In this body, we often discuss the importance, the value of expanding early childhood education, strengthening our public schools, and making college more affordable. Indeed, these investments are critical, but let's not forget about what I call the other 4-year degree. It is a degree that guarantees you a well-paying job and a career path after graduation. It is a degree that gives you experience that employers demand and teaches you skills that last a lifetime. It is a degree that provides a paycheck even while you are still in school. And it is a degree that leaves you debt-free. But where is the catch? Well, you might have to wake up early every day. You might have to work on nights and weekends. You will definitely have to complete thousands of hours of hands-on on-the-job training and 4, 5, or more years of work in your trade. In many apprenticeship programs, if you miss even a few days of work, that is it, you are done. On-the-job training, years of work experience, and a limited number of absences does not sound like a typical college curriculum, and it is not.…
