This factsheet overviews the Executive Order by the Trump-Vance Administration to protect and strengthen Registered Apprenticeships. It breaks down changes required for workforce programs in order to make training faster, more flexible, and more connected to the economy’s needs.

This Executive Order (EO) by the Trump-Vance Administration announces that they will consolidate and streamline fragmented Federal workforce development programs that are too disconnected from propelling workers into secure, well-paying, and high-need American jobs. This EO will expand Registered Apprenticeships (RA) to new industries and occupations, including high-growth and emerging sectors, as well as improve RA’s efficiency and provide consistent support to program participants.

WorkforceGPS will host a webinar on April 22, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. ET to highlight how apprenticeship models can connect youth to career pathways. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs can use this information to increase their knowledge of registered apprenticeship opportunities for young people. They will also learn how to expand career options for young participants, especially those who may not be engaged in traditional education or employment, by connecting them to these hands-on training opportunities that build skills, support long-term employment, and reduce reliance on government assistance.

CareerOneStop’s Skills Matcher is an online tool that helps individuals identify their skills and connect them to potential career pathways. TANF programs can use this resource to support participants in identifying strengths and exploring employment opportunities that lead to self-sufficiency.

Credential Finder is a tool that helps individuals explore certifications and training programs that align with career goals and labor market needs. TANF programs can use this resource to support participants in advancing their education and improving long-term employment outcomes.

This brief explores strategies to help young adults successfully connect to education and employment pathways. Effective career pathway models emphasize coordinated services, work-based learning, and strong partnerships across systems. For TANF programs, these approaches reinforce the importance of aligning employment services with education and training opportunities, especially for young parents and youth transitioning to independence, to support long-term economic mobility.

The National Youth Employment Coalition will host a webinar on March 19, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. ET to explore how opportunity navigation and social capital strategies can help young people connect to education, training, and career pathways. TANF programs supporting youth and young parents may find these approaches valuable for strengthening workforce partnerships and improving employment outcomes.

A new brief from Child Trends examines how workforce and career programs can better support young people with foster care experience as they transition to employment and adulthood. Its roadmap format highlights flexible, individualized approaches to career services and the importance of supportive relationships and targeted workforce supports – insights that may help TANF programs strengthen partnerships serving young parents and youth transitioning from foster care.

This National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) toolkit offers strategies for designing workforce programs that strengthen career pathways, sector partnerships, and participant-centered engagement. It shares the main findings of NCAI’s ongoing research examining the innovative approaches to workforce development that Tribal Nations and other Native-led workforce development entities are forging, how they are achieving success, and why. TANF programs can use it to enhance training access, skill building, and long-term economic stability for families.