(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) has announced the availability of nearly $200 million in grants to continue to support Public-Private Partnerships that expand, diversify and strengthen Registered Apprenticeship.

The funding opportunity includes $95 million of competitive grants through the second round of the Apprenticeship Building America Grant Program and $100 million in the second round of State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula Grants.

The announcement is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s fourth Investing in America tour, during which Administration officials are traveling across the country and making new announcements highlighting the impact of President Joe Biden’s agenda on communities, families and workers nationwide. 

“The second round of Apprenticeship Building America funding continues the Department of Labor’s commitment to providing all of America’s Workers with access to training and career preparation that leads to good jobs with family-sustaining wages,” Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie Su said. “These grants serve as another avenue toward strengthening the Nation’s Workforce Development Infrastructure to connect people from all communities to the good jobs being created by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.”

The USDOL’s Employment and Training Administration will use these funds to prioritize projects that support the Investing in America agenda - including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act and Inflation Reduction Act, by expanding access to Registered Apprenticeships in high-demand sectors and occupations.

These sectors include: Information Technology/Cybers-Security; K-12 teacher occupations; The Care Economy (nursing, early child care, mental health occupations); Clean Energy; Hospitality; Public Sector; and Supply Chain Sectors (logistics, warehousing, transportation, manufacturing).

The Apprenticeship Building America Grant Program seeks to leverage Registered Apprenticeship as a workforce solution while ensuring people from under-represented and underserved communities can access high-quality training and Pre-Apprenticeships that lead directly to enrollment in a Registered Apprenticeship program. 

The USDOL will award 12 to 25 grants, ranging from $1 million to $8 million, in three categories depending on the geographic scope:

Category 1 – Ensuring equitable Registered Apprenticeship Program pathways and partnerships through Pre-Apprenticeship leading to Registered Apprenticeship enrollment.

Category 2 – Creation of Education System-Aligned Pre-Apprenticeship Programs and Registered Apprenticeship Programs.

Category 3 – Registered Apprenticeship Hubs.

Successful applicants will integrate strategies that align with the Administration’s priorities for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, and expand the availability of jobs that support the High Road to the Middle Class for all Workers. 

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: Biden-Harris Administration announces nearly $200M available in grants to expand Registered Apprenticeships | U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov)