Hollywood actor Patrick Ball recently made headlines for calling his $80,000 in student loans a “huge burden.” In an interview with Cultured magazine, Ball said he believes he would have ended up in debt had he not starred in the award-winning drama “The Pitt.”
Ball was lucky, but for most Americans there is no such happy ending. More than 42 million Americans have student loans, bringing the total outstanding federal student debt to more than $1.6 trillion. The average borrower has an outstanding balance of about $40,000.
Pursuing a college degree makes sense for many people, but it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Too many students graduate and find that there are few job opportunities in their field, while at the same time struggling to make their student loan payments. Even if they manage to land a job, the average annual salary of a recent graduate is barely enough to support one person, let alone a family. The result is crippling debt and a stalled future.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Under President Donald Trump’s leadership, the Department of Labor (DOL) is working hard to create alternative pathways for Americans seeking safe, family-supporting, and in-demand careers. As we celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, we’re highlighting programs that provide hands-on training, strong mentorship opportunities and qualifications that benefit both employees and employers.
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Acting Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling talks to students on electrical, hydropower and operations at the Hoover Dam. (Department of Labor)
Last year, Trump issued an executive order titled “Preparing Americans for High-Wage Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future” and set a goal of recruiting more than 1 million active apprentices. To achieve this mission, DOL worked with the Departments of Commerce and Education to develop America’s Talent Strategy.
For too long there has been a disconnect between the training employees receive and the skills employers seek. The U.S. Talent Strategy aims to change that by meeting the needs of employers and preparing more Americans for access to high-wage careers. We are refocusing federal workforce programs with investments in private sector training and changing skills demand, and working with U.S. companies committed to hiring new apprentices as key parts of their talent pipeline.
That’s not all. The Labor Department has committed $3,500 in incentive payments to partner employers for every registered apprentice hired. Under Trump’s leadership, we are also streamlining the process for potential partner companies and reducing the red tape that prevents organizations from creating similar programs.
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Additionally, we are breaking down the silos that have hindered the way America prepares its workforce. Last year, DOL signed a historic partnership agreement with the Department of Education. Under this arrangement, DOL will be able to support and influence a broader range of workforce programs previously dispersed across federal agencies. That means ending unnecessary efforts, reducing bloated government bureaucracy and giving states more flexibility.
All of this has allowed the Department of Labor to add more than 386,000 apprentices and more than 3,300 new registered apprenticeship programs since Trump took office last January. Apprentices enjoy an ‘earn while you learn’ model, and those who complete their program can earn an average starting salary of $86,000 per year – $20,000 more than that of recent graduates.
These are important steps toward closing the skills gap of approximately 700,000 jobs in our country. But it’s also important because of the lives we impact.
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Brent Davis is one such example. For years, Brent struggled to provide for his family until a friend urged him to apply for the Norfolk Naval Shipyard Apprenticeship Program in Virginia. Brent was hired as an apprentice boilermaker and eventually became a shipyard journeyman and then an official Shop 41 Boilermaker. Brent graduated with glowing grades across the board for his craftsmanship. His hard work and dedication saw him nominated for the Department of Labor and Industry’s Outstanding Apprentice of the Year category.
Last year, Trump issued an executive order titled “Preparing Americans for High-Wage Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future” and set a goal of recruiting more than 1 million active apprentices.
Shane Siler of Wyoming has a similar story. Shane worked in the food industry for fifteen years, working in drilling and construction. But after becoming a single father, he realized he needed to pursue a more stable and promising career path. Shane was attracted to the professions because they offered the opportunity to earn a full-time wage while still attending school. He joined a registered apprenticeship program and currently works as an electrician in the industrial and heavy commercial sector. The Registered Apprenticeship Program has enabled Shane to build a better life for himself and his son.
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These stories are exactly what National Apprenticeship Week is all about. Our job is to equip Americans to find their place in an evolving economy, so that testimonials like Brent’s and Shane’s are the standard – not the exception. Registered apprenticeships have the power to strengthen our supply chains, fill skills gaps in sectors critical to our national security, and ensure America remains at the forefront of innovation and industry.
Above all, they enable hardworking Americans to achieve the American Dream. That is really something to celebrate.
