During the week of April 19, the National Governors Association (NGA) held an event in Washington, inviting the 47 grantees from the recent Department of Labor $175 million stimulus to grow apprenticeships in the US. The goal for the week was to outline a support model to help each of the grantees quickly begin to implement promising practices and learn from those companies and organizations that had previous experience with apprenticeships across a number of the targeted industries and professions.
The NGA had previously asked IT-oLogy to lead the IT Institute designed to address the information technology apprenticeship technical and implementation support process. During the week IT-oLogy led two separate panels, bringing together promising practices around industry engagement and around curriculum and programs for the most predominant IT occupations where apprenticeships have the biggest impact. One of the positive outcomes for the week was a connection by several of the grantees to IT-oLogy for follow up consulting.
Following is an excerpt from a White House announcement about additional funding that is being made available to enable the intermediaries, like IT-oLogy, to help rapidly expand the number of apprentices.
The Department of Labor announced the Administration’s latest step to increase access to apprenticeship – using the $90 million provided in that spending bill for new investments through ApprenticeshipUSA to expand apprenticeship in the United States, including:
-$60 million to support state strategies to expand apprenticeship, including funding for regional industry partnerships and innovative strategies that diversify apprenticeship locally;
-$30 million to catalyze industry partnerships in fast-growing and high-tech industries, to support organizations focused on increasing diversity, and to launch national efforts to make it easier for employers to start and for workers to find apprenticeship opportunities.
This announcement is the first step in investing in state apprenticeship strategies. Recognizing Governors’ unique ability to create smart statewide strategies to expand apprenticeship, the Department is making up to $9.5 million available for ApprenticeshipUSA State Accelerator Grants, for states to develop strategic plans and build partnerships for apprenticeship expansion and diversification. States will also receive support to develop comprehensive game plans for encouraging businesses to launch apprenticeship programs in a variety of industries including advanced manufacturing, health care, IT, construction, and transportation.
Building on the bipartisan support for apprenticeship, the Department of Labor intends to make multi-year grants and contract awards to winning states, non-profits, workforce intermediaries, and industry associations subject to the availability of funding through the appropriations process using the $90 million provided through bipartisan support in the FY2016 spending bill for the first year of the awards
