Federally funded tech apprenticeship program to launch in Arizona, 2 other states

PHOENIX — A multimillion dollar grant will help Arizona students find technological apprenticeships and earn college degrees, officials announced on Thursday.

The federally funded grant to the tune of $3.9 million will pay for a technology-focused apprenticeship program that will initially launch in Arizona, Maryland and California.

Specifically, money for the Apprenticeship Building America, Round 2 (ABA2) grants comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.

The purpose of the ABA2 grants is to support public and private partnerships that promote registered apprenticeship programs.

Essentially, these government grants gives cash injections into programs that train workers for well-paying jobs.

Arizona’s workforce is one of the lucky few that will soon have this new potential career path.

Where is the $3.9 million grant money going?

The $3.9 million grant will go to the University of Maryland Global Campus and OpenClassrooms.

Both groups will take part in a transformative project to upgrade apprenticeship programs, according to a news release.

Specifically, the money will modernize, expand and diversify registered apprenticeships that focus on technology.

It will help train 100 pre-apprentices and 400 apprentices so they’re ready for jobs in high-demand fields.

Although the program is first launching in Arizona, Maryland and California, it will gradually expand over the grant’s four-year term.

UMGC President Gregory Fowler said he’s proud to partner with OpenClassrooms to promote apprenticeships.

“This grant positions us to make measurable progress toward vital state and national goals of narrowing skills gaps and creating additional pathways to rewarding careers while building the skilled and diverse workforce needed to bolster economic growth and prosperity,” Fowler said in a news release.

What industries will apprentices work in?

The program funded by the $3.9 million grant will use a unique “earn, learn and grow” teaching model. They’ll be trained in jobs in one of these fields:

• Cybersecurity analyst.
• Data analyst.
• Application developer.
• Digital marketer.
• Helpdesk technician.

Students who take part in the program will earn money and learn on the job while earning college credit.

The program will mainly focus on helping veterans and students from underserved communities.