The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) proposed enhancements to the national Apprenticeship System with the intent to create more quality registered apprenticeships. In response, the Jobs and Careers Coalition (JCC) and National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) urged the DOL to clarify the terms and offset proposed additional employer workload. Among the 1000+ registered apprenticeships listed in the ApprenticeshipUSA database, four relate to the landscaping industry: Greenskeeper, Landscape Gardener, Landscape Management Technician, and Landscape Technician.

 
The NAHB's main concern is that standardization will reduce flexibility, forcing all apprenticeships into a time-based model with a minimum of 2,000 hours, whereas current legislation permits time-based, competency-based, and hybrid models. The JCC agrees that standardization across all industries is not practical; however, the ApprenticeshipUSA database shows that the proposed minimum is already a national standard. Among the registered landscaping apprenticeships, Landscape Gardener requires a minimum of 2,000 hours while Greenskeeper and Landscape Technician require 4,000 and Landscape Gardener requires 8,000, qualifying all four under the proposed changes.
The JCC's main concern relates to proposed standardized wage progression, which they argue is not reasonable for differing labor markets and employers. They add that the proposed changes regarding standardized mentor qualifications, increased employer responsibilities, and a mandatory end-point assessment are too demanding without offsetting the existing workload. The JCC has already begun tracking the potential effects of implementing the proposed changes and find that participating in the apprenticeship system would not be worth it. If the DOL does not address these concerns, they could face a reduced pool of apprenticeship opportunities.

https://www.nahb.org/blog/2024/03/department-of-labor-apprenticeship-program-letter
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/01/17/2023-27851/national-apprenticeship-system-enhancements
https://www.apprenticeship.gov/apprenticeship-occupations
https://www.nahb.org/-/media/NAHB/advocacy/docs/industry-issues/jobs-and-careers-coalition-letter-dol-apprenticeship-2024.pdf?rev=9bd43ca0ec784562b243db144054dd01&hash=CE825531B92F4C616529BBED9BD208DE