U.S. Department Of Labor Launches Advanced Manufacturing Apprenticeship Program

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employment and Training Administration has launched the American Manufacturing Apprenticeship Incentive Fund, a $35.8 million initiative intended to expand registered apprenticeship opportunities in the advanced manufacturing industry. The program will target occupations that are tied to advanced manufacturing and other high-skill industrial sectors where employers report persistent workforce shortages.

Under the model, eligible registered apprenticeship sponsors may receive $3,500 for each new apprentice who is enrolled in a qualifying manufacturing apprenticeship program. The funding is designed to encourage employers and sponsors to create new apprenticeship slots and to expand existing programs. The Arkansas Department of Commerce’s Division of Workforce Services will administer the program.

“In collaboration with Arkansas, we will supercharge our domestic industrial base by connecting manufacturing employers, notably small- and mid-sized companies, to the skilled workers they need for future productivity and put more Americans on the pathway to mortgage-paying careers,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer.

Eligible sponsors can review the program requirements and submit applications through this portal.