SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

DOL, as part of continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information before submitting them to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for final approval. This program helps to ensure requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements can be properly assessed.

This ICR seeks approval for a new information collection in support of the Registered Apprenticeship National Public Awareness Campaign. The request includes a General Public Baseline Survey (“Public Survey” thereafter) and an Employer/Sponsor Baseline Survey (“Employer Survey” thereafter). The surveys will collect information to establish an initial baseline, and then be fielded quarterly, or as needed, to ascertain changes in awareness, familiarity, understanding, perceptions, barriers, trusted sources, decision drivers, message reactions, and intent related to Registered Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship.gov, the website domain maintained by ETA's Office of Apprenticeship. The National Apprenticeship Act, 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq., and DOL regulations at 29 CFR part 29 authorize and support ETA's Office of Apprenticeship activities related to the National Apprenticeship System and this information collection.

The Department has increased efforts to expand and modernize Registered Apprenticeship, a proven and industry-driven workforce training model, to connect all Americans to good-paying jobs. The surveys directly support Executive Order (E.O.) 14278, Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future, which directs the Secretaries of Labor, Commerce, and Education to develop a plan to reach and surpass one million new active apprentices in Registered Apprenticeship programs. The E.O. also commits to protecting and strengthening Registered Apprenticeship as a means of unlocking the limitless potential of the American worker. In addition, several E.O.s focus on bolstering critical industries and direct federal agencies to increase utilization of Registered Apprenticeship as a critical strategy to strengthen workforces in those key industries, including Artificial Intelligence (E.O. 14277), Maritime (E.O. 14269), and Nuclear Energy (E.O. 14302). To support each of these goals, the Office of Apprenticeship proposes this multi-faceted public awareness campaign to spark national attention, generate interest and engagement, and drive measurable growth.

The public survey will be administered to U.S. adults ages 18 and older, with oversamples of adults ages 18 to 24, parents or guardians, educators/workforce intermediaries, and veterans. The oversample populations include those determined by the marketing campaign strategist to be key priority audiences for the marketing campaign. The employer baseline survey will be administered to representatives of U.S. employers who influence hiring, workforce training, talent development, or apprenticeship-related decisions. ETA will use the information to support campaign planning, audience understanding, message development, key performance indicator benchmarking, and future evaluation of the Registered Apprenticeship National Public Awareness Campaign.

This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and the public is generally not required to respond to an information collection, unless it is approved by OMB under the PRA and displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that does not display a valid Control Number. See5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6.

Interested parties are encouraged to provide comments to the contact shown in the ADDRESSES section. Comments must be written to receive consideration, and they will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval of the final ICR. In order to help ensure appropriate consideration, comments should mention OMB control number 1205-0NEW.

Submitted comments will also be a matter of public record for this ICR and posted on the internet, without redaction. DOL encourages commenters not to include personally identifiable information, confidential business data, or other sensitive statements/information in any comments.

DOL is particularly interested in comments that:

• Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;
• Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
• Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
• Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, ( printed page 53652) ( e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses).

Agency: DOL-ETA.

Type of Review: New.

Title of Collection: Registered Apprenticeship National Public Awareness Campaign.

Form: Registered Apprenticeship Awareness Campaign General Public Baseline Survey; Registered Apprenticeship Awareness Campaign Employer/Sponsor Baseline Survey.

OMB Control Number: 1205-0NEW.

Affected Public Individuals or Households, Private Sector—businesses or other for-profits and not-for-profit institutions.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 10,200.

Frequency: Once for baseline surveys; quarterly (as needed) for tracking surveys.

Total Estimated Annual Responses: 10,200.

Estimated Average Time per Response: Varies.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,400 hours.

Total Estimated Annual Other Cost Burden: $0.

91 FR 53651