U.S. Department of Labor issued the following announcement on July 3.
U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta discussed the award of $12 million in advanced manufacturing apprenticeship grant funding to Missouri Community College Consortium during a visit to St. Louis Community College Center for Workforce Innovation, in Ferguson, Missouri. Secretary Acosta participated in a roundtable with the Chancellor of St. Louis Community College, Dr. Jeff Pittman, leaders from Missouri Community College Consortium, and representatives from local businesses and the Missouri Chamber of Commerce.
“The visit highlights educators and industry partners who will join together to expand advanced manufacturing apprenticeship opportunities for Missouri,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta. “Apprenticeships, the earning while learning models, have worked well in many American industries. By partnering with private entities, academic institutions and consortia will create pathways for American workers to learn in-demand job skills to fill millions of family-sustaining jobs.
“On behalf of all nine colleges and other key partners engaged with this initiative, we thank Secretary Acosta and the U.S. Department of Labor for their financial support for the opportunity to provide 5,000 citizens of Missouri, both in rural and urban areas, with the training and education needed for high wage career pathways in advanced manufacturing. We appreciate the innovative approach to the programming for this initiative that will include paid apprenticeship experiences for those who participate in the programs. Within the St. Louis region, funds received for the Missouri Apprenticeships in Manufacturing Program will assist in meeting the worker shortage that currently exists for this important sector of our economy,” said St. Louis Community College Chancellor Dr. Jeff L. Pittman.
On June 15, 2017, President Trump signed Executive Order Expanding Apprenticeships in America charging the Secretary of Labor to consider establishing guidelines or requirements that qualified entities should or must follow to ensure that apprenticeship programs they recognize meet quality standards.
On June 25, 2019, the Department issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would establish a process for the U.S. Department of Labor to advance the development of high-quality, industry-recognized apprenticeship programs. The Department of Labor also announced $183.8 million in Scaling Apprenticeship Through Sector-Based Strategies grants to private-public apprenticeship partnerships in information technology, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare. These grants will support the training of more than 85,000 apprentices in new or expanded apprenticeship programs.
Original source can be found here.