The U.S. Department of Labor has opened applications for its Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payments Program, offering sponsors of Registered Apprenticeships direct payments of up to $6,000 per apprentice, according to the department’s announcement on Monday.
The program comprises six incentive funds administered by state governments, university trustees, private foundations and associations. Participating organizations include Jobs for the Future, the Wireless Infrastructure Association and the ASE Education Foundation.
Eligible apprenticeship programs cover a range of fields, including information technology, shipbuilding, defense, semiconductor production and telecommunications. The department has also highlighted interest in apprenticeships related to artificial intelligence and nuclear energy infrastructure.
The announcement comes amid other federal apprenticeship and workforce funding efforts. On Friday, President Donald Trump announced a $40 million Department of Labor grant to be administered by Florida’s Department of Commerce. In February, the administration said it intended to expand the incentive program through a $145 million grant for organizations taking part.
The department has also awarded more than $81 million to rural communities in the Appalachian, Delta and Northern Border regions. That funding is focused on areas including skilled trades and construction, healthcare, IT, manufacturing, domestic energy production, and business and professional services.
Sources: HR Dive.