To celebrate Workforce Development Week, June 12-16, the Trump administration planned a full schedule of events as a backdrop to discuss the growing demand for skilled labor, address the need to fill six million jobs and expand apprenticeship programs across the country.

 U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta released a memorandum on June 12 asking other agencies to support President Trump’s apprenticeship initiative by reducing regulations on these programs.

On June 13, President Trump, Secretary Acosta, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Trump’s daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump and several private-sector leaders visited Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) to discuss increasing access to apprenticeships and providing more options for apprenticeships to students as early as high school. Members from ABC Wisconsin, which sponsors three construction apprentices programs at WCTC with more than 235 participants, attended the event.

“We want a future where every high school in America offers apprenticeship opportunities for young citizens,” Trump said at the WCTC event.

Trump is also expected to sign an executive order concerning these programs, reportedly to change the certification process and relax government oversight of federally funded apprenticeship programs in order to meet the market-driven demands and workforce development needs of the private sector. Following a shooting at a Congressional baseball practice the morning of June 14, Trump cancelled an event at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), where he had planned to sign the executive order after delivering remarks to DOL staff and stakeholders.

It is unclear if the rest of the events for Workforce Development Week will be held.

To learn more about how ABC is building the people who build America, visit workforce.abc.org.