Registered Apprenticeship

The Office of Apprenticeship promotes, engages and assists industry in the development, expansion and improvement of Registered Apprenticeship. The program is designed to provide skilled workers required by U.S. employers and ensure the quality of a

The Office of Apprenticeship promotes and helps employers and other organizations develop quality, accessible Registered Apprenticeship opportunities for workers seeking higher-skilled, higher-paying jobs and organizations seeking to build a qualified workforce. The Office of Apprenticeship oversees the National Apprenticeship System, which involves employers, industry associations, labor, education providers, Apprenticeship Industry Intermediaries, State Apprenticeship Agencies, and other Registered Apprenticeship stakeholders and sponsors. There are Registered Apprenticeship experts in every state who are available to assist organizations interested in developing and maintaining Registered Apprenticeship programs as a recruitment, training, and retention tool to build a quality workforce. They also connect organizations to educational and other training providers, help create a sustainable pipeline of talent into their organization, and advise partners on available funding sources to support apprenticeships. Registered Apprenticeship is a workforce solution that is evolving to meet industry needs and create skilled workforces that meet the demands of the changing American labor market. The Office of Apprenticeship helps potential and current Registered Apprenticeship program sponsors develop, launch, and implement programs in multiple industries including healthcare, technology, transportation, financial services, advanced manufacturing, hospitality, telecommunications, construction, and energy.

Employers, unions, labor-management, federal and state government entities, U.S. territories, public, private and quasi-public nonprofit institutions/organizations, and other workforce intermediaries can be eligible to start and maintain Registered Apprenticeship programs. The vast majority of programs are not funded by Federal grant funds. The OA and SAAs provide technical assistance. Entities eligible for funding associated with 17.285 are outlined within each discretionary announcement, and vary between vehicles. Eligible entities may include any of the following: 501 (c) organizations, educational organizations, state entities, tribal entities, municipal entities, for-profit entities. All applicants must meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the funding announcement to which they apply, and include current SAM.gov registration, DUNS registration among others. Please refer to each individual announcement to determine eligibility.

Eligible beneficiaries are defined by the individual grant program by funding opportunity.

Assistance may be used to expand Registered Apprenticeship in new industries, as well as established industries. Specific restrictions vary by funding vehicle, please refer to specific funding vehicle.

Generally, participant wages are not paid by DOL/ETA grants, nor are real estate purchases. Use of funds for purposes of lobbying are prohibited. Funds must be for pre-apprenticeships leading to registered apprenticeships or registered apprenticeships only. Funds cannot be used for unregistered apprenticeships.

Assistance availability and duration outlined in each funding opportunity, varies according to each funding opportunity.

There may be pre-application coordination requirements, see each individual program funding announcement for any applicable details/requirements.

Criteria are outlined in the individual funding opportunity announcements.

Funding opportunity announcements and Training and Employment Guidance Letters are published on Grants.gov and Apprenticeship.gov. These announcements will provide all of the necessary additional award information.

Generally, announcements are open for 45-60 days but can be shorter or longer periods. The review and award process takes approximately 30-60 days.

Renewals are not available under this Assistance Listing Number. On a case-by-case basis, grantees may request a no-cost extension. Extension requests are submitted to the assigned Federal Project Officer for review and determination and then they are sent to the program office for concurrence or additional analysis, if needed. No-cost extension requests may be made six months prior to the end of the period of performance.

While appeals are not applicable, unsuccessful applicants may request feedback from ETA's Office of Grants Management. Grantees receive a letter from the Office of Grants Management outlining the process and contact information.