ICI partners on two US Department of Labor awards to expand inclusive apprenticeship opportunities
The Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) will partner with Jobs for the Future and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development to modernize and diversify registered apprenticeship programs. Both organizations received 4-year awards from the US Department of Labor, beginning on July 1, 2021.
Jobs for the Future’s Diversity and Inclusion Technical Assistance Center of Excellence will focus on expanding opportunities in Registered Apprenticeships for justice-involved individuals, people of color, people in rural communities, people with disabilities, women, and youth. Jobs for the Future will work with ICI and other stakeholders to share best practices for recruiting and retaining individuals who have been traditionally underrepresented in Registered Apprenticeships. The award to the Massachusetts Department of Labor and Workforce Development will support diversification of apprenticeships in the state.
The Department of Labor’s Technical Assistance Centers of Excellence aim to develop Registered Apprenticeship programs in industries that are part of America’s critical supply chains, which include:
- semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging
- large capacity batteries, like those for electric vehicles
- critical minerals and materials
- pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development’s Apprenticeship Expansion, Equity, and Innovation Grant similarly focuses on diversifying apprenticeship programs at the state level. This is one of only 15 grants awarded nationally.
Another goal of the Apprenticeship Expansion, Equity, and Innovation Grant is to develop apprenticeship opportunities within non-traditional industries, particularly those that were impacted most by the COVID-19 pandemic.
ICI’s role with both projects will focus on making apprenticeships more inclusive of individuals with disabilities.