The U.S. Department of Labor will distribute $30 million in funding in the Industry-Driven Skills Training Fund grant program. The grants will provide outcome-based reimbursements to employers for providing training in high-demand and emerging industries that best align with the Trump Administration’s Executive Order 14278, Preparing Americans for High Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future, Executive Order 14629, Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance and America’s AI Action Plan. The funding will also provide states with resources and flexibility needed to meet workforce demands.
According to a press release, grants of up to $8 million will be awarded to State Workforce Agencies to establish and administer training funds that encourage businesses to create and expand training programs that ensures new hires and workers with more experience are able to gain the skills they need to meet the evolving workforce demands of their industries.
Priority industries for the grants include artificial intelligence infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, nuclear energy, domestic mineral production and information technology.
Many of the country’s youngest employees that are interested in working in trades have faced obstacles that have prevented them from furthering their careers. As FacilitiesNet previously reported, 52 percent of students were placed on a waitlist for technical or vacation program enrollment. According to ResumeBuilder, 42 percent of Gen Zers are pursuing trade jobs, including 37 percent of those with bachelor’s degrees. The survey found that 19 percent of respondents with a four-year degree said that they couldn’t find a job in their field, while 16 percent they weren’t earning enough with their degree.
The grant could have major benefits within the facilities management industry as the Baby Boomer generation continues to retire. As FacilitiesNet previously reported, managers are looking for employees that are willing to learn, but many are faced with time constraints that prevent them from properly training new employees.
The funding leans into Trump’s campaign promise of bringing skilled trades back to the workforce. Earlier this year, he signed an executive order signaling the secretaries of Labor, Education and Commerce to submit a plan to “reach and surpass 1 million new active apprentices.” The plan must identify:
Mackenna Moralez is the associate editor of the facilities market.
