🗞️ DOL Announces $98 Million Youth Build Pre-Apprenticeship Funding

The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration announced $98 million in grant funding through the YouthBuild Program to support pre-apprenticeship development in high-demand industries. The initiative aims to provide academic support, occupational skills training, and employment services to young people ages 16-24 who are not participating in the labor force.

Approximately 57 grants ranging from $1-2 million each will be awarded to public or private non-profit organizations and Tribal entities. The program aligns with the Trump Administration's America's Talent Strategy: Building the Workforce for the Golden Age, which aims to reach over 1 million apprenticeships nationwide.

This funding opportunity introduces several innovative features, including a first-time performance goal requiring a measurable percentage of participants to enter Registered Apprenticeship programs within one year of program completion. This ensures genuine partnerships between pre-apprenticeship programs and Registered Apprenticeship sponsors, creating clearer pathways to career advancement.

The program also incorporates AI literacy education as a required component, responding to President Trump's April 2025 executive order "Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth." Applicants must integrate AI literacy skills into education components and are encouraged to include them in occupational skills training as well.

Priority consideration will be given to applications from charter schools and educational institutions that partner with organizations supporting the administration's educational freedom initiatives. The program is administered under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which designates YouthBuild as an official pre-apprenticeship pathway.

YouthBuild participants typically spend 50% of program time on education services leading to high school diplomas or equivalents, 40% on workforce and skills development activities (including construction training while building affordable housing), and up to 10% on leadership development and community service. The program provides wrap-around supportive services including assistance with transportation, childcare, and housing.

Key Points

• Funding Amount: $98 million for approximately 57 grants ($1-2 million each)
• Target Population: Youth ages 16-24 not in school or employed, particularly in low-income communities
• Industry Focus: Construction, advanced manufacturing, information technology, healthcare
• New Performance Metric: First-time goal for percentage entering Registered Apprenticeship within one year
• AI Literacy Requirement: Mandatory integration of artificial intelligence education components
• National Goal: Aligns with 1+ million apprenticeships target under America's Talent Strategy
• Application Deadline: March 2, 2026
• Priority Areas: Charter schools and organizations supporting educational freedom initiatives

Primary Source: U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration

Primary Source Link: https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/eta/eta20251230

Supplemental Links

• YouthBuild 2025 Funding Opportunity Announcement (Grants.gov) - Full grant application details
• YouthBuild Program Overview (DOL) - Official program information
• America's Talent Strategy: Building the Workforce for the Golden Age (PDF) - Comprehensive workforce policy document
• Executive Order: Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs - Apprenticeship expansion directive
• Executive Order: Advancing AI Education for American Youth - AI literacy mandate
• Registered Apprenticeship Program Overview - Understanding the apprenticeship pathway