(DES MOINES, IOWA) – The State of Iowa has announced new grant awards for Registered Apprenticeship (RA) sponsors whose programs are building the workforce pipeline across the State. A total of $3.4 million in grants are being distributed to both existing RA programs and programs created in new occupations that are based in high-demand fields.

Grant funds awarded to RA sponsors will be managed through the Iowa Office of Apprenticeship (IOA), which is housed within Iowa Workforce Development and is responsible for administering and supporting all RA Programs in the State.

In 2024, Iowa officially became a State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA), granting IOA the formal oversight and authority to better support existing programs and establish innovative ways to expand their development across the State.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said: “Registered Apprenticeship Programs play a critical role in our overall workforce strategy. As we demonstrated in the Teacher-Paraeducator Registered Apprenticeship Program, using a ‘tried and true’ model in a non-traditional field is a ‘win-win’ for Iowans and employers, and I am pleased to see a number of our schools receive funding under this program.”

“Iowa made an investment to provide financial support to grow Registered Apprenticeship programs when these programs were created over 10 years ago,” added Beth Townsend, who serves as Executive Director of Iowa Workforce Development. “We continue to see the return on that investment with increases in the number of Apprentices and programs across the State, as well as the expansion of this training model into non-traditional fields.”

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