Labor Department Official Addresses Apprenticeships at Wireless Infrastructure Event

February 25, 2021—As the demand for broadband continues to grow during the pandemic, so too must the workforce responsible for deploying it.

One avenue for growing this workforce is apprenticeships facilitated by broadband providers, often in conjunction with universities or trade organizations, such as the Wireless Infrastructure Association.

These apprenticeships are designed to provide people with paid opportunities to gain on-the-job experience, while also giving them a chance to work with mentors who can provide them with valuable insight into how the industry functions.

Carriers have many on-site technicians and other employees who have to complete essential work outside their home to keep the rest of the country at home. The pandemic has put more emphasis on the need of these workers and these apprenticeship programs can replenish any lost labor.

But what’s also a concern is whether the U.S. has enough of a workforce skilled enough to be able to rise to the challenges of 5G networks, which include new technologies and more connectivity points to manage.

John Ladd is an administrator in the Office of Apprenticeship with the Department of Labor. On a panel at the Connect X All Access Policy Summit 2021, Ladd stated that despite record levels of unemployment due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, more than 200,000 registered apprentices entered the workforce in 2020, in addition to a total of 2 million apprentices over the last five years.

“Apprenticeship works,” Ladd said. “And it works for everybody.”

Ladd claimed that apprenticeships in the wireless sector not only result in better wages and opportunities for employment for those doing the work, but funding apprenticeships also represents a strong return on investment for both broadband providers and the public. He said that recent presidential administrations recognized this and funded apprenticeship efforts in the past.

“We’re really fortunate that we’ve seen support for apprenticeship,” Ladd added.

Government support for apprenticeship programs

According to Ladd, the Obama Administration represented a renaissance for apprenticeships, and since then the support has continued.

“We’ve had [support] in the [Trump] Administration, and growing support as well in [the Biden] Administration.” He pointed to Biden’s affirmation of apprenticeships via a recent executive order. Though the order repealed former President Trump’s Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Program, it reinstated the National Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships.

This move was made in part to get rid of what the Biden Administration viewed as “redundancies” and “inferior systems,” but it was also designed to ensure a diversification of apprenticeship programs and uplift disadvantaged communities.

“Apprenticeship provides help to diversify the workforce and reach new talent populations,” Ladd argued that this move would not only bring more women and people of color into the workforce, but it would also provide opportunities for veterans transitioning out of the military. He called these apprenticeships “pipelines of talent,” and just one of the many tools that the Biden Administration had in its toolbox to help the economy get back on track.