News Release
US Department of Labor announces $3.4M funding opportunity to attract, retain women in Registered Apprenticeships, nontraditional occupations
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a funding opportunity of $3.4 million for up to nine grants to attract and keep women in Registered Apprenticeship Programs and industries where they are underrepresented such as manufacturing, infrastructure, cybersecurity and healthcare.
Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration and Women’s Bureau, the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations grant program supports community-based organizations in their efforts to recruit, train and retain more women in Registered Apprenticeships and nontraditional occupations.
While women make up nearly half the U.S. labor force, they comprise only 13 percent of Registered Apprentices.
These grants are intended to help address the significant underrepresentation of women in Registered Apprenticeship programs and in high-growth, high-wage STEM occupations.
Registered Apprenticeships are a pathway for workers to the middle class. They also help employers to recruit, develop, and retain a highly skilled and diverse workforce. While this earn-while-you-learn model has a long history in skilled trades, such as construction, emerging and high-growth industries like manufacturing, infrastructure, cybersecurity and healthcare are increasingly using Registered Apprenticeships to strengthen their workforce.
Read about the WANTO grant program, 2021 WANTO grant recipients and Frequently Asked Questions.
