U.S. Department of Labor awards more than $2.2 million to assist dislocated workers through expanded partnerships with Registered Apprenticeship

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded $2,212,751 to assist state apprenticeship agencies in the development of strategies to better serve dislocated workers and other unemployed individuals through expanded partnerships with the Registered Apprenticeship system, which is administered by the department's Employment and Training Administration.

"Today's funding will help state apprenticeship agencies strengthen partnerships between the Registered Apprenticeship and the public workforce systems," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Agencies will create strategies to jointly train and prepare dislocated workers and other unemployed individuals for careers in growing industries, including those related to green technologies."

Registered Apprenticeship is an 'earn while you learn' model that provides a combination of on-the-job learning and related classroom instruction in which workers learn the practical and theoretical aspects of a highly skilled occupation. Apprenticeship programs are sponsored by joint employer and labor groups, individual employers and/or employer associations. Currently the national Registered Apprenticeship system includes a network of approximately 30,000 program sponsors nationwide, offering more than 1,000 different career opportunities.

The grants announced today will help support states as they modernize their infrastructure, policies, rules and legislation to advance apprenticeship into the 21st century. Funding also will assist states in upgrading data systems to promote increased economic analysis and data sharing between the Registered Apprenticeship and public workforce systems, as well as expand assistance to dislocated workers.

Twenty-two state apprenticeship agencies and the National Association of State and Territorial Apprenticeship Directors (NASTAD) are receiving funding under this effort.

For more information on Registered Apprenticeship and the array of Department of Labor training and employment programs visit http://www.doleta.gov.

Editor's Note: A list of grant recipients is below.

Funding for Expanded Partnerships with Registered Apprenticeship System