Late last year, the FY 2016 federal appropriations bill provided $90 million to expand apprenticeship programs through the ApprenticeshipUSA program. The Department of Labor is working to implement this new investment, and last week announced its initial plans for investing in state apprenticeship strategies. Through this new announcement, $9.5 million is being made available for AprenticeshipUSA State Accelerator Grants, which can be used by states to “develop strategic plans and build partnerships for apprenticeship expansion and diversification.”
A range of activities can be supported, including the following (summarized by our partners at National Skills Coalition):
- costs for staff, contractor, or subject matter expert support for the development of state apprenticeship strategies and partner engagement activities
- outreach and technical assistance activities that support improved employer engagement and services; increased opportunities for women, communities of color, and other underrepresented populations; or engaging parents, educators, and other stakeholders in development of the state’s vision and strategy for apprenticeship
- analysis and asset mapping activities that allow states to identify sectoral opportunities for apprenticeship expansion, and develop strategies for integrating workforce, education, and other resources to support state apprenticeship strategies
- development and dissemination of reports, data tools, and other resources that support the development of apprenticeship opportunities
- enhancing data collection capabilities relating to apprenticeship
- meetings and travel costs
Up to $250,000 will be available per state for a two-year time period. Governors are instructed to identify the appropriate state agency for application, and those applications from states are due on May 15, with awards expected to be made later that month. Later this year, an additional $50 million State Expansion Grants Competition will be announced to help states scale-up their efforts to expand apprenticeship.
For more information, including investment timelines and future activities under the ApprenticeshipUSA initiative, please visit http://www.dol.gov/apprenticeship.
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