Local businesses awarded apprenticeship grants
Two Clark County businesses were among dozens to receive grants from the state’s Labor and Industries department. Tradesmen Electric in Battle Ground and Frontier Electrical in Vancouver were among the first round of recipients to receive grants through the Registered Apprenticeship program. Tradesmen Electric received a grant for $17,527 and Frontier Electrical received $10,016.
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell announced last month the state would get a total $5.6 million in grant funding to improve and expand the apprentice program.
“Last year, there were 21,252 registered apprentices across 201 occupations in the State of Washington – a number that will only grow as we train workers to build the infrastructure projects we funded last Congress,” Cantwell said in a press release.
Washington’s workers will need new skills and career pathways to meet the needs of the state’s growing economy, she said.
“These apprenticeship grants will help remove barriers for good, high-paying jobs while investing in folks from underrepresented communities,” Cantwell said.
To date, more than $4.7 million in grant funding has been distributed to Washington businesses. Grant applications are still being accepted until Dec. 31 through Labor and Industries.
The grants are administered by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. Washington received the fifth-most funding of any state.
Washington won $4,656,656 in competitive funding to expand and diversify state Registered Apprenticeship programs in manufacturing, cybersecurity, infrastructure, clean energy, education, and healthcare. Another $1,005,448 came from formula funding based on the state’s number of apprentices and other factors.
Washington was one of seven states to receive competitive funding to expand apprenticeships in these targeted industries.
— Shari Phiel
