U.S. Department of Labor Announces Availability of $1.5 Million in Funds to Support Women in Apprenticeship, Expand Job Opportunities

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor today announced $1.5 million in grant funding available to recruit, mentor, train, and retain more women in quality apprenticeship programs and pursue careers in manufacturing, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and health care, among other industries.

"Apprenticeships provide a pathway to family-sustaining jobs," said Women's Bureau Acting Director Erica Clayton Wright. "As the Trump administration works to expand apprenticeship across all industries and sectors of our economy, we remain committed to advancing women's access to these opportunities."

The Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) grant program will award $1.5 million to community-based organizations to encourage women's employment in apprenticeship and nontraditional occupations. Grants will be awarded to up to six community-based organizations. Applicants must provide one or more of the following types of technical assistance:

• Developing pre-apprenticeship or nontraditional skills training programs to prepare women for those careers;
• Providing ongoing orientations for employers, unions, and workers on creating a successful environment for women to succeed in those careers; and
• Setting up support groups, facilitating networks, and/or providing supportive services for women to improve their retention.

The Department's Women's Bureau and the Employment and Training Administration administer the 2019 grants. For information about the program see the Department's WANTO page.