American apprenticeship initiative

The Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration awarded a $7 million cooperative agreement to The Urban Institute from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2025 under the Registered Apprenticeship program (CFDA 17.285). The Urban Institute will develop competency-based occupational standards, assessments, and technical assistance materials to support the expansion of registered apprenticeships. It will work with three sub-awardees—the American Institutes for Research, Workhands Inc., and the Council of State Governments—to provide these deliverables. Specifically, the American Institutes for Research will develop 20 partnerships to identify occupational standards and competencies. Workhands Inc. will lead efforts to digitize competency frameworks and develop online tools and repositories. The Council of State Governments will create 10 new occupational standards and engage five state partnerships to support outreach. The purpose of the funding is to promote and expand registered apprenticeship programs.