President Trump on April 23 signed an executive order, “Preparing Americans for High-Paying, Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future,” which aims to improve and expand job training for skilled trades.

The order directs the Departments of Labor, Education, and Commerce to streamline and consolidate federal workforce programs, focusing on expanding registered apprenticeships to over one million annually.

Although largely understood to be paired with the administration’s goal to revive U.S. manufacturing, this initiative could hold potential for direct care workers, including nursing assistants and home health aides, by enhancing training opportunities and educational pathways beyond traditional four-year degrees. That, in turn, could help to  address critical workforce shortages in the aging services sector.