DOL Opens Applications for $6,000-Per-Apprentice Incentive Payments
The Labor Department is offering direct payments up to $6,000 per apprentice in high-growth sectors including shipbuilding, semiconductors, and IT.
The U.S. Department of Labor has opened applications for its Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payments Program, which offers Registered Apprenticeship sponsors direct payments of up to $6,000 per apprentice in sectors ranging from shipbuilding to artificial intelligence. The program draws on nearly $200 million in incentive funds the department has committed to date, with applications accepted on a rolling basis until all available funds are obligated.
The announcement follows President Trump's appearance in Daytona Beach, Florida, where he highlighted a $40 million investment led by the Florida Department of Commerce targeting shipbuilding and the defense industrial base. That tranche alone is projected to yield nearly 10,000 new apprentices over the next four years. U.S. Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling traveled to Florida to mark the opening of applications alongside state and congressional officials.
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The broader program is structured through several distinct incentive funds, each administered by a designated organization. The Arkansas Department of Commerce oversees a $35.8 million advanced manufacturing fund offering up to $3,500 per new apprentice, while Clark University administers a $27 million fund for information technology roles paying $6,000 per apprentice after 90 days of employment. Florida's Commerce Department manages the $40 million shipbuilding fund, which provides a $2,000 baseline payment with the possibility of reaching $6,000 for sponsors meeting strategic priorities. A separate $40 million fund administered by Jobs for the Future Inc. covers super intelligence, semiconductors, and nuclear energy infrastructure.
In July, the department awarded roughly $162 million to five organizations to lead nationwide training pipelines across priority industries, including telecommunications, transportation, and nuclear energy. Officials said the payments are designed to lower barriers to employer participation and accelerate hiring in fields where workforce shortages are most acute.
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