Groups involved with promoting skilled trades and support for military veterans are hopeful Congress will act soon on legislation to bring the two together.
The Support for Veterans in Effective Apprenticeships Act would expand the number of skilled trades apprenticeship programs available to vets.
Justin Pomerville is with Local 85 of the United Association. He said the state of Michigan would benefit from the legislation.
“We have 1,100 registered apprenticeship programs with the Department of Labor. And there’s only 200 of them that apply with the GI (Bill) money,” said Pomerville. “It opens up roughly 900 more programs and just the options are more vast and more wide.”
The bill has already passed the U.S. Senate. It is awaiting a committee hearing in the House.
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