Scaling Apprenticeship through Sector-Based Strategies

Original Opportunity Number: FOA-ETA-18-08

The U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (ETA) awarded approximately $184 million in grants to 23 grantees for the Scaling Apprenticeship through Sector-Based Strategies grant program in June 2019. The primary goal of this grant program is to accelerate the expansion of apprenticeships to new industry sectors reliant on H-1B visas, such as information technology (IT) and IT-related industries, advanced manufacturing, and health care. In addition, the grant program will increase the level of apprenticeship activity among employers within these industry sectors that have not traditionally implemented apprenticeship programs, particularly small- and medium-sized businesses.

Scaling Apprenticeship will promote the large-scale expansion of apprenticeships across the nation by supporting the training of thousands of apprentices in new or expanded programs and by assisting partners in their efforts to create and scale the new or expanded apprenticeship programs. This grant program will also increase apprenticeship opportunities for all Americans, particularly veterans, military spouses and those individuals currently underrepresented in existing apprenticeship programs.

Program Activities: This grant program will expand apprenticeship opportunities within H-1B industry sectors, particularly those that have not deployed apprenticeships on a large scale previously, and increase the number and types of workers participating as apprentices. To achieve these goals, projects will undertake activities within each of the following categories:

• Deploying apprenticeship training. Grant funds will be used primarily to support the training of thousands of apprentices in new or expanded programs. Training and training-related activities will include the academic and work-based training itself, as well as supportive services, such as childcare and transportation, designed to assist apprentices to participate and remain in an apprenticeship program.
• Taking apprenticeships to scale. Assisting partners in their efforts to create and scale the new or expanded apprenticeship programs is another critical component of the work under this grant program. Projects will establish new apprenticeship programs, create the training infrastructure/network necessary to deploy these programs, expand existing apprenticeships, and promote all grant-funded apprenticeship programs on a national scale.

Grants totaling $183,883,271 were awarded to 23 partnerships in local and state service areas across the country, and will ultimately expand to reach a national scale.