LANSING The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity released a second competitive Request for Proposals to fund registered apprenticeship expansion across the state.

More than $5 million is available to fund grant awards to groups of statewide and/or local partners who will work as Regional Implementation Consortia to expand registered apprenticeship opportunities.

“Our continued focus on expanding the state’s Registered Apprenticeship footprint will help more Michiganders gain the skills they need to achieve financial security while helping businesses develop the skilled workforce they need to grow and thrive in a global, 21st century economy,” said LEO Acting Director Susan Corbin.

Funds provided by the grant awards will help reimburse Registered Apprenticeship Program costs, including on-the-job learning and related technical instruction. The Consortia will lead expansion activities to accelerate the growth of about 3,700 apprentices with a focus on underrepresented populations in high-skill, high-wage, high-demand careers in advanced manufacturing, construction, energy, healthcare, information technology and mobility sectors to help secure Michigan’s future.

LEO anticipates funding up to 10 awardees, ranging from $300,000 to $1.1 million each.

Regional Implementation Consortia will lead statewide and/or local program implementation activities to establish new or expand existing Registered Apprenticeship Programs. Employers of all sizes interested in sponsoring Registered Apprenticeship Programs can partner through Consortia to benefit from a successful proposal. Many regions already have groups working together that are well-positioned to apply. Consortia partners include employers, labor, Michigan Works! Agencies, secondary educational partners, postsecondary institutions and others.

“These grants will support the growth of apprenticeship opportunities for underrepresented populations, including minorities, females, youth, individuals with disabilities and veterans,” said LEO’s Office of Employment and Training Director Stephanie Beckhorn. “These opportunities can be life-changing for career seekers – they are gaining in-demand skills and a nationally-recognized credential in industries that are critical to Michigan’s future.”

Request for Proposal submissions are due by May 24, 2021, with awards announced on July 14, 2021. To assist consortia partners in completing their proposal submissions, a variety of resources and information are available on the state’s Registered Apprenticeship website, Michigan.gov/Apprenticeship.

To learn more about becoming a Regional Implementation Consortia partner, contact the LEO State Apprenticeship Expansion Team at [email protected].

To learn more about this RFP opportunity, visit Michigan.gov/Apprenticeship.

This is the second round of registered apprenticeship funding made available by LEO in recent months. More than $6 million in grants were awarded on March 1 to support the development of over 2,300 registered apprenticeship opportunities throughout the state.