DOL Boosts Apprenticeship Aid
These single-industry contracts will support the growth of apprenticeship programs in health care, construction, transportation and logistics, energy, manufacturing, and information and communications technology. DOL also will award as many as four multi-industry contracts to organizations to help employers from different sectors grow their apprenticeship programs and work together to create a pipeline of skilled workers.
The U.S. Department of Labor announced it is making as many as a dozen ApprenticeshipUSA Industry Intermediary Contracts available to national organizations that will start or scale apprenticeship programs meeting the occupational and skill needs of their industries, as part of $90 million in apprenticeship funds to grow the "earn-while-you-learn" model nationwide.
This is a bid to double the number of Registered Apprenticeship programs nationwide; the national organizations could be industry associations, joint labor management organizations, workforce groups, educational institutions, and consortia of organizations that will provide financial and technical assistance to employers pursuing apprenticeship training. These single-industry contracts will support the growth of apprenticeship programs in health care, construction, transportation and logistics, energy, manufacturing, and information and communications technology.
DOL also will award as many as four multi-industry contracts to organizations to help employers from different sectors grow their apprenticeship programs and work together to create a pipeline of skilled workers.
"Apprenticeships are experiencing a modern renaissance in America because the earn-while-learn model is a win-win proposition for workers looking to punch their ticket to the middle class and for employers looking to grow and thrive in our modern global economy," U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez said. "We know that apprenticeship works for a variety of different industries, but this funding will help even more employers in even more industries adopt this proven workforce strategy and expand opportunities for American workers."
The ApprenticeshipUSA Industry Intermediary Contracts are the third installment of the $90 million funding program. Information about how to respond to the Requests for Proposals is available at www.fbo.gov, and applications must be received by 2 p.m. EDT on July 28.