Labor Department Launches AI Apprenticeship Portal to Build Workforce Skills

The U.S. Department of Labor on Wednesday announced the launch of a new website aimed at helping workers and employers build artificial intelligence skills and expand AI-focused apprenticeship programs. The website, called the AI in Registered Apprenticeship Innovation Portal, debuted during a National Apprenticeship Week event as a one-stop resource to help organizations build AI literacy and create or update Registered Apprenticeship programs with AI-related skills. "The department is committed to ensuring that every American has the opportunity to thrive in our nation's workforce, especially in a world that is rapidly being reshaped by artificial intelligence," Acting Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling said in a statement, calling it a major step forward in preparing the American workforce for the jobs of the future. The announcement also comes amid growing fear that artificial intelligence could disrupt or replace jobs across industries, prompting growing pressure on the government and employers to provide training and pathways to adapt to the technology. The apprenticeship initiative builds on the department's AI Literacy Framework, released in February, which offers guidance for integrating AI skills into apprenticeship programs through training resources, industry-specific tools, and flexible pathways. According to the Labor Department, the portal organizes its resources into three areas: AI skills and literacy in Registered Apprenticeship programs, AI skill-building by industry, and ways to integrate AI into existing or new apprenticeship programs. It includes AI training modules tailored to industries, including education, finance, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing. "The launch reflects this Administration's commitment to ensuring American workers and businesses are equipped to lead in an AI-driven economy," Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Henry Mack said in a statement. "By providing employers with the resources to develop AI-ready Registered Apprenticeship programs and workers with the skills to thrive in them, the Department is taking concrete action to build the workforce of the future, today." The department said employers can also use the portal to join existing national apprenticeship programs, create new programs for AI-focused roles, or update existing programs to include AI-related skills. The announcement also comes as the Donald Trump administration pushes a broader national AI agenda, including a White House policy framework released in March that calls for federal AI standards, expanded infrastructure, and a unified national approach to issues ranging from workforce development and child safety to innovation, and free speech as businesses and government agencies adapt to the technology's rapid spread across industries.