The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) awarded 30 recipients more than $120 million in grants to modernize and expand Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAP) to help workers secure long-term job skills.
The Apprenticeship Building America (ABA) grant program furthers DOL goals to "enable workers to find a reliable pathway to the middle class," the DOL states in its July 7 announcement of the awards. More than $58 million went to grantees that focus on programs that encourage enrollment in RAPs and promote equity, according to the announcement.
Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said the $121 million in grants shows the commitment of the Biden-Harris administration to the RAP, the DOL reports.
“The Apprenticeship Building America grants will develop new pathways to good-quality jobs and provide America’s workers with opportunities to access and succeed in those pathways," Walsh said in the announcement, "and the intentional focus on equity partnerships and pre-apprenticeship activities will create opportunities for underrepresented and underserved communities.”
The ABA grants will fund more RAP programs, include more apprentices, expand the kinds of industries that use RAP, and make using RAP easier and more accessible for traditionally disadvantaged people
