Fireside Chat with USDOL Deputy Assistant Secretary Marek Laco

Deputy Assistant Secretary Laco delivered a direct message: the U.S. Department of Labor’s posture is bold action today, not deference to reauthorization. States that have long sought federal flexibility now have a genuine partner that is open to new solutions that reduce barriers to maximizing federal workforce funding.  The Department is prioritizing apprenticeship through pay-per-apprentice incentive payments rather than competitive grants and opportunities like the cooperative agreement with Arkansas to replicate the manufacturing apprenticeship model across sectors.