On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Concur in the Senate Amendment

Innovations in Mentoring, Training, and Apprenticeships Act

(Sec. 3) This bill requires the National Science Foundation (NSF) to award grants to junior or community colleges to develop or improve associate degree or certificate programs in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, including computer science) fields.

The NSF shall award grants to institutions of higher education partnering with private sector employers that commit to offering apprenticeships, internships, research opportunities, or applied learning experiences to students in STEM baccalaureate degree programs.

The NSF shall award grants to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations to conduct research on student outcomes and determine best practices for STEM education and technical skills education through distance learning or in a simulated work environment.

(Sec. 4) The NSF Directorate of Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences, in coordination with the Department of Labor, shall support research on labor market analysis innovations, data and information sciences, electronic information tools and methodologies, and metrics.

The NSF National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics shall coordinate with other agencies in exploring the feasibility of expanding its surveys to include the collection of data on certain skilled technical workers who use STEM knowledge in their jobs.