DOL announces $50.5 million grant competition for apprenticeships

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The U.S. Department of Labor released details Wednesday for a grant competition that would distribute $50.5 million to add to existing apprenticeship opportunities.

The department expects to award around 33 ApprenticeshipUSA State Expansion Grants, ranging from $700,000 to $3.2 million, for various initiatives.

The money is expected to:

• Help states integrate apprenticeship into their education and workforce systems; and expand apprenticeship to new sectors and groups of people;
• Help states work with employers to start new programs;
• Expand opportunities for at-risk youth, women, minority groups, those with disabilities and other groups; and
• Help with statewide incentives and reforms

“Apprenticeships are a time-tested, earn-while-you-learn model that helps create opportunities for American workers to succeed while providing employers with the reliable pipeline of skilled talent they need to thrive in today’s global economy,” Thomas Perez, secretary of labor, said in a news release.

The competition is for apprenticeship programs not only in the building trades but also in industries such as health care, advanced manufacturing and information technology, among others.

The ApprenticeshipUSA State Expansion Grants are the second phase of the Labor Department’s $90 million plan, announced in April, to diversify and add to the pool of registered apprenticeships.