By Ad Astra News
TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas Department of Commerce awarded at total of $528,478 to eight entities across the state for projects meant to attract and retain employees and build the state workforce through registered apprenticeships according to an announcement made today by Governor Laura Kelly.
Governor Kelly said that last year she created the Office of Registered Apprenticeship to dramatically scale up the state’s efforts to train Kansas workers with the skills needed to succeed in today’s modern economy.
The Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship received total funding requests of $3.3 million from 16 applicants. Applicants identified a variety of project needs such as technical instruction, outreach, staffing, partnerships, and administrative costs.
Grant awardees include:
- Dodge City Economic Development Council received $45,000 for capacity building and direct business outreach
- Greater Kansas City Laborers Training, Joint Apprenticeship Training Council received $36,000 for a Spanish-speaking instructor
- Ironworkers Joint Apprenticeship & Training Trust in Wichita received $29,956 for training equipment including a forklift trainer
- Kansas Farm Bureau (statewide) received $90,000 for capacity building and direct business outreach
- Kansas State Council of SHRM (statewide) received $62,160 for capacity building and direct business outreach
- Plumbers and Pipefitters Training of Kansas, United Association 441 (UA441) in Wichita received $100,000 for HVAC training equipment, capacity building, and direct business outreach
- Topeka Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 226 (IBEW 226), in partnership with Hutchinson Community College, received $66,885 for training equipment and related technical instruction
- Wichita Electrical Industry Training Fund, IBEW 271 received $98,476 for capacity building and direct business outreach
For the full Kansas Department of Commerce press release, including comments made from the Governor and other state officials, click here.
To learn more about the Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship, click here.
