INDIANAPOLIS (WOWO) – Indiana is receiving nearly $19 million in federal funding to expand workforce training, apprenticeship opportunities and career pathways in high-demand industries.
Governor Mike Braun announced the funding, which supports four initiatives focused on industry-specific skills training, special education teachers, apprenticeship expansion and employment opportunities for people involved in the justice system.
The largest award is a $6.7 million Industry-Driven Skills Training Fund grant. Over nearly four years, the funding will help train workers in advanced manufacturing, information technology, construction and allied health care. Employers and local workforce development boards will identify regional workforce needs and develop training programs.
Indiana also received a $3.09 million U.S. Department of Education grant to establish a statewide registered apprenticeship model for special education teachers. The five-year initiative will provide paid, lower-cost pathways toward full special education licensure, with an emphasis on areas experiencing teacher shortages.
A $3.9 million U.S. Department of Labor grant will support apprenticeship expansion over three years. The initiative will focus on group apprenticeship sponsorships, career and technical education counselor training, and strengthening local workforce boards’ ability to support advanced manufacturing.
The fourth award is a $5.1 million Reentry Employment in Skilled Trades, Advanced Manufacturing, Registered Apprenticeships and Training Initiative, known as RESTART. Over three and a half years, the program will connect adults age 25 and older who have been involved in the justice system with training and employment opportunities in advanced manufacturing, construction, skilled trades, transportation and logistics.
Indiana Secretary of Commerce Chuck Goodrich said the investments will help Hoosiers develop skills for in-demand careers while helping businesses find qualified workers.
Indiana Department of Workforce Development Commissioner Kate Shelby said the grants will expand access to employer-driven training and help businesses meet workforce needs.
The four awards total $18.79 million and will support programs extending through 2031, according to the announcement.
The state also cited U.S. Department of Labor national data showing that 93% of apprentices remain employed after completing their apprenticeships. The data also indicate employers receive an average return of $1.47 for every dollar invested in registered apprenticeship programs.
More information about Indiana workforce programs is available at in.gov/dwd.
1 comment
The $3.9 million DOL piece for group apprenticeship sponsorships is the part I’d watch, since that’s how a lot of smaller contractors finally get to sponsor apprentices at all. And 93% still employed after finishing is a strong number. We run a job board for traveling trades workers, and the question we hear most from people coming out of these programs is what happens when they take a job across a state line. Someone who finishes in Indiana and gets an offer in Ohio or Illinois can run into a whole different set of rules. Here’s a rundown of which states honor a trade license from another state for anyone weighing that move.