CALÓ News: Organizations challenge Trump’s cut on equal access to construction apprenticeships

September 4. 2025

Noreen Farrell, Executive Director, and Jessica Ramey Stender, Policy Director & Deputy Legal Director, are featured in a Caló News article about ERA’s official comment filed with the federal government opposing the Trump Administration’s proposed changes to eliminate rules that help ensure equal access to construction and skilled-trade apprenticeships nationwide.

“Women already make up only 4% of construction workers and are similarly underrepresented in apprenticeship programs. These regulatory changes would make it even harder for women to access apprenticeships that lead to well-paid skilled trades careers,” said Jessica Ramey Stender, policy director and deputy legal director at Equal Rights Advocates. “This proposal represents a devastating rollback of hard-fought protections that would slam the door shut on economic opportunity for women and people of color and eliminate opportunities to address skilled labor shortages.”

“The Trump Administration is using the same playbook we’ve seen before, attacking civil rights protections through obscure regulatory processes while claiming to protect workers,” said Noreen Farrell, executive director of Equal Rights Advocates. “These apprenticeship programs are doorways to economic security for women and people of color. We will not stand by while this administration tries to slam those doors shut through backroom regulatory manipulation.”

Read the article.