Earlier this week, we alerted members that Indiana’s House of Representatives was moving on a bill that would loosen requirements for skill training to participate in public design-build projects. Almost 800 of our members reached out to their state representatives via email to ask them not to vote on this bill, but unfortunately, the bill was passed into the Senate.
This bill would remove requirements that bidders on design-build projects participate in federally-approved apprenticeship training, instead replacing it with generic language that merely requires employees to have access to unspecified training.
If Indiana’s leaders are truly committed to workforce development, they should focus on raising the standards for career training, not letting employers skate by with the bare minimum. It is a disservice to Indiana’s next generation of workers.
We are putting together a plan for the Senate, and hopefully the building trades can speak with one voice against this abomination.