The U.S. Department of Labor awarded the Kentucky Labor Cabinet $1,085,871 under the ApprenticeshipUSA State Expansion Grant Initiative to continue efforts to increase registered apprenticeships.

The funding will help Kentucky establish and grow “intermediaries,” or third-party organizations to better connect apprentices with employers; engage employers new to the state or new to registered apprenticeships; compensate businesses for expenses related to required training instruction; and diversify the pool of apprentices in Kentucky.

The Labor Cabinet received two prior awards from the Department of Labor, including the Accelerator Planning Grant and the $896,000 ApprenticeshipUSA State Expansion Grant, together totaling more than $1 million. This funding allowed the Office of Registered Apprenticeship to increase the number of businesses offering registered apprenticeships by more than 50 percent.

Currently, there are more than 3,000 apprentices in Kentucky in nearly 240 programs and in 109 occupations.