🗞️ Arkansas Opens Portal for $35.8M National Manufacturing Apprenticeship Fund
Federal manufacturing apprenticeship fund now accepting applications nationwide through Arkansas-led program offering $3,500 per new apprentice.
The U.S. Department of Labor announced on January 28, 2026, that the American Manufacturing Apprenticeship Incentive Fund application portal is now open for Registered Apprenticeship sponsors nationwide. The $35.8 million initiative, administered through a four-year cooperative agreement with Arkansas, provides financial incentives to employers who create, expand, or join advanced manufacturing apprenticeship programs.
Under the pay-for-performance model, eligible sponsors receive $3,500 for each new apprentice who successfully completes a 90-day probationary period. The program supports apprenticeships in over 120 advanced manufacturing occupations, including aerospace and defense, automotive, biotechnology, shipbuilding, semiconductors, nuclear energy, and supply chain automation. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until funds are fully obligated.
Arkansas serves as the sole national administrator of the fund through its Department of Commerce's Division of Workforce Services. The initiative aligns with America's Talent Strategy, a federal workforce development framework released in August 2025 that emphasizes industry-driven training, worker mobility, integrated systems, accountability, and innovation. The program supports a federal objective of reaching one million active apprentices.
Eligible applicants include Registered Apprenticeship program sponsors, group sponsors, and consortia operating in advanced manufacturing sectors. Arkansas was selected based on its demonstrated capacity to modernize apprenticeship systems, reduce administrative barriers for employers, and scale adoption of Registered Apprenticeship programs.
Key Points
- Funding Amount: $35.8 million over four years for nationwide manufacturing apprenticeships
- Incentive Structure: $3,500 per new apprentice after completing 90-day probationary period
- Application Process: Rolling basis until funds exhausted; portal opened January 28, 2026
- Eligible Sectors: 120+ advanced manufacturing occupations including aerospace, automotive, biotechnology, semiconductors, shipbuilding, nuclear energy
- Administration: Arkansas Department of Commerce Division of Workforce Services serves as sole national administrator
- Eligibility: Registered Apprenticeship program sponsors, group sponsors, and consortia
- Strategic Alignment: Supports America's Talent Strategy and federal apprenticeship expansion goals
- Target Employers: Small and mid-sized manufacturing companies nationwide
Primary Source Author: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
Primary Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
Primary Source Link: https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/eta/eta20260128
Supplemental Links
- American Manufacturing Apprenticeship Incentive Fund Application Portal
- Registered Apprenticeship Program Overview - Apprenticeship.gov
- America's Talent Strategy: Building the Workforce for the Golden Age (PDF)
- Advanced Manufacturing Apprenticeships - Apprenticeship.gov
- Arkansas Governor's Announcement - December 19, 2025
- Arkansas Office of Skills Development - Manufacturing Fund Page
