Alabama has been awarded $12.5 million from the U.S. Department of Labor to expand apprenticeship programs that give young people more opportunities to train for in-demand jobs. Colorado received the same amount.
The grant was awarded before the federal government shutdown and could be impacted should it continue.
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The funding is part of a federal push to grow Registered Apprenticeships, which allow people to earn while they learn in fields ranging from the skilled trades to technology. The Alabama Commission on Higher Education will administer the program and help employers start new programs and cut costs for businesses that want to take part.
Federal officials said the goal is to make Alabama and Colorado examples for other states that want to build stronger apprenticeship pipelines and prepare students for long-term careers.
In Alabama, the funding will support several projects, including:
- Creating a template to evaluate existing apprenticeship programs and job training plans.
- Building an online tool that will list and share training outlines in an easy-to-use format.
- Developing new national models for jobs where no apprenticeship pathway exists or where current ones fall short.
The Alabama Office of Apprenticeships was created in 2019 by Gov. Kay Ivey via executive order. It was recognized as a State Apprenticeship Agency by the USDOL in March 2020.
Colorado will focus its funds on expanding pre-apprenticeships and tying apprenticeships more closely to technical education and college programs. That includes creating new career exploration tools in schools, removing barriers for youth employment and working with employers to set up models that can be used across industries.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Trisha Powell Crain and originally published by Alabama Daily News.
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