WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of nearly $162 million through five cooperative agreements to expand Registered Apprenticeship in the occupations critical for the administration’s reindustrialization agenda.
The department’s Employment and Training Administration will administer the five Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payments Program cooperative agreements with organizations that will lead nationwide efforts to train thousands of Americans for jobs in the shipbuilding, defense industrial base, and emerging technology sectors. This performance-based model directly links federal funding to measurable outcomes, providing incentive payments to Registered Apprenticeship sponsors as their apprentices reach verified retention and progression milestones.
“President Trump challenged us to expand Registered Apprenticeship programs that deliver real results for American workers and businesses, and that is exactly what this program does,” said Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling. “We are putting taxpayer dollars to work where they matter most, creating real jobs, real skills, and real opportunities in the industries that will define America’s future economic competitiveness.”
Registered Apprenticeship is an earn-while-you-learn model of training, culminating in increased pay, a postsecondary credential, and skills that will drive both personal and American economic prosperity. At least 85% of each award flows directly to eligible Registered Apprenticeship sponsors across all states and territories.
ETA will work closely with the awardees over the summer to implement their projects and expects eligible Registered Apprenticeship sponsors to begin applying for incentive funds in the fall.
These awards align with the Trump administration’s America’s Talent Strategy and its goal of reaching and surpassing 1 million new active apprentices nationwide. The awards also advance the department’s efforts to implement presidential executive orders related to expanding Registered Apprenticeship, including Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future, Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth, Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance, and Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base.
The Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payments Program will prioritize incentivizing the expansion and growth of high-quality Registered Apprenticeship programs on a national scale, specifically in industries with a firmly established Registered Apprenticeship program infrastructure. The program also prioritizes the expansion of Registered Apprenticeships in shipbuilding and the defense industrial base advancing America’s Maritime Action Plan.
The five recipients are:
- Florida Department of Commerce – Awarded $40 million to support a nationwide incentive program through a consortium led by the State Workforce Board and CareerSource Florida for the defense industrial base, shipbuilding, and maritime manufacturing sectors.
- Jobs for the Future Inc. – Awarded $40 million to support Registered Apprenticeship growth in roles building and maintaining the critical infrastructure that sustains artificial intelligence, semiconductor, and nuclear energy industries.
- Wireless Infrastructure Association – Awarded $29.9 million to rapidly expand Registered Apprenticeships in the telecommunications sector and leverage its national sponsor network and existing presence in all 50 states and two territories.
- The Trustees of Clark University – Awarded $27 million to create a national Pay-for-Performance initiative led by a broad consortium key stakeholder to expand high-quality Registered Apprenticeship opportunities in information technology.
- ASE Foundation – Awarded $25 million to build sponsor capacity to support employers in establishing, scaling up, and sustaining automotive and truck service technician apprenticeships by offering per-technician incentive funding.
Grantees will build durable partnerships with national and regional industry associations and employers, ensuring broad industry buy-in and the scalability of their models. They will also coordinate with and leverage other department-funded entities, including states and industry intermediaries supporting Registered Apprenticeship expansion, as appropriate, to align efforts, reduce duplication, and accelerate apprenticeship growth in occupations critical to national priorities.
Building on the momentum of the American Manufacturing Apprenticeship Incentive Fund, the Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payment’s Program signals the department’s continued focus on strengthening the National Apprenticeship System and building a pipeline of skilled workers that powers businesses and workers across the nation.