Labor announces $150,000 in apprenticeship grants

From Department of Labor

Montana Department of Labor Commissioner Galen Hollenbaugh announced Monday that the Montana Registered Apprenticeship Program will award more than $150,000 in grants to assist businesses and educators in creating new apprenticeship programs across the state.

  “We are thrilled to offer these apprenticeship grants to our partners who know creating good jobs and developing an educated and well-trained workforce is critical to maintaining a strong economy in Montana,” Hollenbaugh said. “We will continue to pursue innovative ways to ensure businesses remain competitive and workers are prepared for in-demand jobs.”

A total of $151,530 will be awarded to employers, industry associations, colleges, or other workforce groups. Existing employer sponsors seeking to add a new occupation to their program will also be eligible. The maximum award is $4,500 and will be awarded on a first come first serve basis until the funds are exhausted. Funds can be used to offset some of the initial program costs incurred by sponsors such as tuition for related instruction or the purchase of new training materials.

The Montana Registered Apprenticeship Program is an excellent training model that assists employers in building a highly customizable and skilled workforce to meet their business needs. In turn, apprentices immediately start working and earn a paycheck while completing the required training and instruction. Upon completion, apprentices receive an industry-recognized credential that ensures future employers know the apprentice is qualified.

“With time and commitment from sponsors, our apprenticeship program has already reached record participation,” Jay Reardon, state director of the Montana Registered Apprenticeship Program, said. “We are excited to continue this program’s growth by assisting sponsors as they invest in Montana’s workforce.”

The Montana Registered Apprenticeship Program recognizes apprenticeships in over 100 occupations. While trades continue to make up most apprentices, the program has developed curriculum for occupations in healthcare, manufacturing, finance, and information technology. Since 2016, 26 occupations have been added including master brewer, medical coding, medical assistant, and accounting technician.

The number of sponsors continues to grow as Montana businesses respond to the increasing demand for workers. Sponsorship has grown by approximately nine percent each year over the last three years. Apprenticeship also encourages workers to stay in Montana. Nearly 90 percent of apprentices that graduated since 2012 are still working in Montana.

Grant applications can be found at http://apprenticeship.mt.gov/2019sponsorgrantapplication and are available immediately.