The U.S. Department of Labor is making $98 million available through its YouthBuild Program to expand pre-apprenticeships for young people ages 16–24, with a new emphasis on registered apprenticeships and AI literacy.

“By investing $98 million through our YouthBuild Program, the Labor Department is opening up pathways to success for young Americans by providing them with opportunities to gain hands-on experience in construction and emerging fields,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer. “The Trump Administration remains committed to building a skilled workforce that will drive our economy into the future.”

Funded through the department’s YouthBuild Program, the grants will help provide academic support, occupational skills training and employment services to young people, ages 16 to 24, in communities where many youths are not participating in the labor force. 

The funding opportunity aligns with Trump Administration’s America’s Talent Strategy, as well as its goal of reaching and surpassing one million apprenticeships nationwide. For the first time, the department has set a goal for the percentage of participants who enter a Registered Apprenticeship within one year of exiting the YouthBuild program. This target will ensure grant-funded pre-apprenticeships have genuine partnerships with Registered Apprenticeship sponsors, helping to accelerate high-quality career pathways. 

Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration and supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, the YouthBuild program will fund about 57 individual grants ranging from $1 million to $2 million. The program also advances artificial intelligence education for youth by requiring applicants to incorporate AI literacy skills in the education component of the program and encouraging the same in occupational skills training.

Applications from charter schools and other organizations partnering with educational institutions supporting the Trump administration’s efforts to expand educational freedom and opportunity for families will receive priority from the department.