Workforce development remains one of the most pressing challenges facing manufacturers, including those in the door and window industries. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is points to growing participation in registered apprenticeship programs as part of the solution. The agency recently reported record engagement during the 12th Annual National Apprenticeship Week (NAW), a milestone that coincides with a labor market that remains stable but continues to show signs of worker shortages.
Held at the end of April, NAW events brought together employers, apprentices/graduates, education partners, labor organizations, community-based organizations, government officials, industry associations, workforce leaders and others. The numbers show that a total of 3,064 NAW activities were held, with nearly 2,000 events across the country, marking two new records for the event. Approximately 671,720 attendees participated across all 50 states.
Henry Mack, assistant secretary of labor for employment and training, says NAW “was a national spotlight on momentum and the businesses that drive our economic reindustrialization.”
Department of Education and leaders from across higher education also joined the events with a roundtable discussion about how degree-connected Registered Apprenticeships benefit learners and employers, and the important role of partnerships between higher education and industry. Mack says registered apprenticeships are a viable counterbalance to student debt and entry-level jobs that demand five years of experience—a point that is further illustrated by the most recent Employment Situation Summary issued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
The Employment Situation Summary issued June 5 shows that total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 172,000 in May, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.3%. That employment rate has remained in a narrow range of 4.3% to 4.5% since July 2025. The number of unemployed people, at 7.3 million, changed little over the month.
BLS shows the unemployment rates making little or no change in May for adult men (4%), adult women (3.8%), teenagers (14.7%), and people who are White (3.8%), Black (6.6%), Asian (3.8%), or Hispanic (5%).
The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was little changed over the month at 2 million but is up by 524,000 over the year. On a more positive note, the number of people jobless less than five weeks declined by 286,000 to 2.2 million in May, largely offsetting an increase in the prior month.
The number of people employed part time for economic reasons, at 4.8 million, changed little in May. These individuals would have preferred full-time employment but were working part time because their hours had been reduced or they were unable to find full-time jobs.
Among those not in the labor force who wanted a job, the number of people marginally attached to the labor force changed little at 1.7 million in May. These individuals wanted and were available for work and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months but had not looked for work in the four weeks preceding the survey.
As National Apprenticeship Week continues to grow, so does awareness of the role apprenticeship programs play in building a skilled workforce—a measure that can help unemployment. For employers across the door and window industries, that growing momentum could help shape the workforce pipeline for years to come.