State receives $200K federal grant for apprenticeship training program

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and the members of Connecticut’s Congressional delegation have announced that the Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) is receiving a $200,000 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to increase and expand participation in the state’s apprenticeship training program.

The funds, part of the ApprenticeshipUSA State Accelerator Grant, are designated to help integrate the apprenticeship model into the state”™s education and workforce system by trying to bring apprenticeship to new industries and populations.

“This grant helps us to continue and expand a vital workforce program that has helped thousands of our residents earn while they learn,” Malloy said. “By combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction, the apprenticeship system excels in developing an experienced workforce for high-skilled careers in manufacturing, construction, business and health care.”

“These federal dollars ”” aimed at expanding an incredibly important program in our state ”” will go a long way in boosting our workforce and meeting the demands of employers,” the Congressional delegation said in a joint statement.

There are currently 6,125 individuals and nearly 1,700 employer sponsors enrolled in Connecticut’s Apprenticeship Training Program, which is administered by CTDOL. The governor”™s office said that recent data indicates that 87 percent of all apprentices are employed after completing their programs, with an average starting wage above $50,000 a year.