The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced a $13 million investment toward its Illinois Works pre-apprenticeship program, a grant program that funds pre-apprenticeship skills training programs throughout the state.
“The Illinois Works program aims to break barriers down for more women and people of color to take advantage of the thousands of jobs created by our state’s nation-leading infrastructure investments, while simultaneously creating a sustainable pipeline of qualified workers for an industry that is booming,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said. “These are the types of strategic investments that ensure we have a workforce ready to take the jobs available right now in fields that offer growth for the future.”
Programs like this have been popping up around the country. Legislators in Washington state are pushing for a state-run pre-apprenticeship program for high school students in several fields. The bill calls for school districts to work with community colleges, labor unions, industry groups and more to determine which industries would be best suited for the program. It would expand opportunities in the skilled trades particularly for rural students, since existing skill centers in the state are mostly in urban areas.
In addition to pre-apprenticeship programs, some states also have their own initiatives to promote apprenticeships. In July 2022, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) received $3.66 million from the U.S. Department of Labor to expand its 650 registered apprenticeship programs, which include several JATCs.
“Registered apprenticeships provide our Texas employers with yet another option and are a win-win situation for the employer and apprentice, which addresses the growing needs of our Lone Star State,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers, Aaron Demerson.
The latest U.S. Department of Labor data from 2021 showed that apprenticeship programs had grown by 64% from 2012, with 241,000 new apprentices joining the system that fiscal year.
Skilled laborers are in demand, especially with the aging workforce retiring out of the industry. To drive more workers into the pool, some states have narrowed recruitment down to an earlier age, such as through pre-apprenticeship programs.
Nick Grandy, construction and real estate senior analyst for RSM US, noted that although it is not an end-all, be-all solution to the issue, the appeal of trade and pre-apprenticeship programs can help support the need for workers.
“There are a lot of benefits that can come with a career in the trades. I think not everybody’s geared to go to college,” Grandy said. “That’s a huge cost for people these days, especially with tuition increasing and taking out that college debt. [By entering a trade] you start out in the positive, you can make a decent living doing this.”
