Concord, NH – The Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) will be able to expand its successful ApprenticeshipNH program to high school students thanks to new grant funding from the U.S. Department of Labor. The $3.45m in grant funding will help hundreds of New Hampshire high school students gain access to Registered Apprenticeship programs in the automotive, advanced manufacturing, business and finance, construction, healthcare and hospitality sectors.
Created in 2017, the ApprenticeshipNH program seeks to address workforce needs in high-demand sectors throughout the state, including advanced manufacturing, automotive technology, biomedical technology, construction & infrastructure, healthcare, hospitality and information technology. To date, hundreds of New Hampshire residents have participated in the program and those who have completed apprenticeships have expanded their skills and knowledge and seen increased wages. The grant-funded program is run by CCSNH.
“The earn while you learn model that ApprenticeshipNH employs to help people advance in their field of interest has been very successful in the Granite State. We’re really excited to build off this model and open new doors to high school students who want to gain real world professional experience while in school, so they are ready to fill vital entry level positions across the state,” said Susan Huard, interim chancellor of CCSNH.
The “Building State Capacity to Expand Apprenticeship through Innovation” grants support a statewide Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) expansion through a two-tiered funding system that provides states with maximum flexibility to address local apprenticeship needs while enhancing the focus on employer engagement, performance and positive outcomes for apprentices. The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA).
“Registered Apprenticeship Programs provide workers with the right skills needed in today’s labor market and can have a positive impact in fixing the skills gap that employers face,” said U.S. Department of Labor’s assistant secretary for employment and training John Pallasch. “This will be a great opportunity for young people who want to combine on-the-job training with relevant classroom education, while getting paid at the same time.”
The Department awarded funds to states and U.S. territories that applied for Tier I funding to help support the programs’ goals. New Hampshire received $450,000 in Tier I funding. Additionally, New Hampshire was one of 12 states that received funds under Tier II. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the $3m Tier II grant was awarded based on strong evidence of past performance in expanding RAPs.
With these additional funds, the selected states will go above-and-beyond supporting the state’s basic Registered Apprenticeship structures. These activities include the following:
- Expanding registered apprenticeships in healthcare, mental health care, addiction treatment, or alternative pain management occupations providing support to individuals living in rural areas;
- Supporting engagement with small businesses in nontraditional industries in registered apprenticeships;
- Expanding apprenticeship opportunities among all workers, including women, minorities, veterans, individuals with disabilities and individuals with a criminal record;
- Developing innovative technical assistance strategies for Registered Apprenticeship sponsors;
- Establishing an employer incentive plan to expand or scale apprenticeships; and
- Launching or expanding sector strategies to expand to new industries and/or new or non-traditional occupations.
The Tier I funds will help the ApprenticeshipNH program build the infrastructure from high school to adult apprenticeships through partnerships with secondary education – including NH CTE Centers – and CCSNH colleges and improve data sharing to measure program impact. Tier II funds will support a statewide marketing effort, and support and expand youth RAP development. The goal of this new effort is to develop high school registered apprenticeships for up to 315 high school youth and underrepresented populations.
For more information, visit the NH Delegation website or contact ApprenticeshipNH at [email protected] or 603.230.3527.
About ApprenticeshipNH
The ApprenticeshipNH Program, housed at the Community College System of New Hampshire, is a unique effort that prepares workers as Registered Apprentices to better compete in the modern workforce. Focusing on the Advanced Manufacturing, Healthcare, Hospitality, Construction, Automotive, Biotechnology and Information Technology sectors, the ApprenticeshipNH Program provides workers with invaluable opportunities to pursue highly-skilled, high-paying jobs, and opportunities for employers seeking to build a qualified workforce in NH. For more information, visit apprenticeshipnh.com.
