Innovations in Mentoring, Training, and Apprenticeships Act - H.R.5509 / S.3583

Overview
Purpose
"To direct the National Science Foundation to provide grants for research about STEM education approaches and the STEM-related workforce, and for other purposes."
Primary Sponsors
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) / Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV)
Final outcome

President signed H.R.5509 into law, Dec. 31, 2018

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5509
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/3583
Committee Reports
H.Rept. 115-975
Summary of Selected Provisions

Selected provisions in original House bill

  • Authorizes use of existing funding within NSF's Education and Human Resources (EHR) Directorate for grants to community colleges to develop or improve associate degree and certificate programs in high-demand STEM fields.
  • Authorizes use of existing EHR funding for grants to support universities that partner with employers that offer work-based learning opportunities to students pursuing four-year STEM degrees.
  • Authorizes use of existing EHR funding for grants to support higher education institutions and non-profits to conduct research on the use and best practices of computer-based learning for technical skills training.
  • Directs NSF to explore the feasibility of expanding its surveys to collect data on the skilled technical workforce, which is defined as “workers with high school diplomas and two-year technical training or certifications who employ significant levels of STEM knowledge in their jobs.”
  • Directs the Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) Directorate to support research on the skilled technical labor markets.
  • Directs SBE to conduct analyses comparing skilled technical workforce development in the U.S. with that of other developed countries.
Actions
Actions on the House bill
President signed amended version of the bill into law
Dec. 31, 2018
House passed amended version of the bill on a vote of 378 to 13
Dec. 20, 2018
Senate passed amended version of the bill by voice vote
Dec. 20, 2018
House passed bill by voice vote
Sept. 25, 2018
House Science Committee approved bill
April 17, 2018
Bill introduced
April 13, 2018
Actions on the Senate bill
Bill introduced
October 11, 2018
Relevant FYI Bulletins

Science Committee Advances Bipartisan Bill to Boost STEM Apprenticeships and Training

The House Science Committee unanimously approved a bipartisan bill that would direct the National Science Foundation to support several new grant programs focused on mentoring, training, and apprenticeships in STEM fields.