DOL Awards $65M to Expand Skilled Trades Training

Community college grants target construction and other high-demand industries

exterior of the U.S. Department of Labor building — U.S. Department of Labor

The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded $65 million to community colleges to expand short-term workforce training programs, including programs serving construction and the skilled trades.

Announced Sept. 23, the funding is part of the sixth round of the department’s Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants program. The grants are intended to help colleges develop or expand short-term programs aligned with high-demand occupations and potential eligibility for Workforce Pell Grants.

Seven lead institutions in Colorado, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Texas received awards, with another 102 community colleges participating through consortiums. Individual awards range from approximately $6 million to $10.8 million.

The Department of Labor said the programs will support training in sectors that include construction and skilled trades, as well as advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence infrastructure, nuclear energy, information technology and shipbuilding.

For roofing, wall and ceiling contractors, the investment comes as the construction industry continues looking for new ways to develop workers and create more direct pathways from education into the trades. The grants could give participating community colleges additional resources to build shorter-term training programs connected with local employer needs.

The Labor Department announced the grant opportunity in February, saying the initiative would focus on helping colleges develop programs that could meet requirements for newly authorized Workforce Pell Grants.

The seven lead grant recipients are Pueblo Community College in Colorado, Hawkeye Community College in Iowa, Northwest Mississippi Community College in Mississippi, the Junior College District of St. Louis in Missouri, Community College of Rhode Island, Pellissippi State Community College in Tennessee and Northwest Vista College within the Alamo Community College District in Texas.