President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order (EO) entitled “Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future” that orders the secretaries of Commerce, Education and Labor to take specified actions to improve the efficacy of the federal government’s workforce development programs.
The order is connected to the Trump administration’s tariffs and other policies that aim to bring more manufacturing and other skilled trades jobs back to the U.S. As stated in the order, it is intended to “maximize the Administration’s historic investments in America’s reindustrialization and economic growth.”
The order’s other overarching purpose is to “consolidate and streamline fragmented Federal workforce development programs that are too disconnected from propelling workers into secure, well-paying, and high-need American jobs.”
Republicans, in particular, have long viewed the federal workforce development system as too fragmented and duplicative. Program consolidation was a major focus when the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) was enacted in 2014.
Related article: White House releases executive order on accreditation
An accompanying fact sheet is more directly critical of existing programs, claiming that “the federal government invests over $700 billion per year in higher education, but only half of new college graduates find jobs that require college degrees.” Both of these figures are misleading. The fact sheet also criticizes WIOA and Perkins Career and Technical Education programs.
Leaning on apprenticeships
The EO is also notable because of its strong support for registered apprenticeships. The first Trump administration’s main initiative in this area was to establish Industry Recognized Apprenticeships, an alternative to registered apprenticeships that many saw as an attempt to undermine them.
The EO may reflect Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-Deremer’s long support for registered apprenticeships (and labor unions). It orders the agencies to submit a plan within 120 days to create 1 million new registered apprenticeships, by expanding them to new occupations and enhance connections between the education system and apprenticeships.
The order also directs the three cabinet agencies to report to the White House within 90 days “strategies to help the American worker.” Among the things that the report must address are:
- Administrative reforms, process improvements and “recommendations to further restructure and consolidate programs.”
- Identification of ineffective programs and recommendations on whether and how to reform the program or eliminate it.
- Opportunities to invest in upskilling of incumbent workers for emerging skills needs, including in artificial intelligence.
- Streamlining information collection from grantees and “ensuring that performance outcomes are measured using the most reliable data sources.”
What it means for CCs
For community colleges, the EO’s focus on strengthening and supporting the nation’s workforce development system, including streamlining requirements for grantees and improving workforce data, is all positive. Community colleges are also significant players in and supporters of the registered apprenticeship system.
The most significant aspect of the EO to be wary of is its focus on program consolidation, which has often been used as a means to reduce the overall investment in workforce development programs. The first Trump administration proposed significant cuts to workforce programs, and we will find out soon what proposals this administration makes in its fiscal year 2026 budget.
Any recommendations made by the three cabinet secretaries stemming from this EO would be reflected in the administration’s future budget and legislative proposals.
