Governor Andrew M. Cuomo recently announced six training providers have been awarded funding as part of the nation’s first state-sponsored Pre-Apprenticeship Program. The providers will create a pathway to apprenticeship for at-risk young women and men, providing the skill base needed to enter into full apprenticeship. The program is targeted to serve young people out-of-school and living in poverty, ages 18-24.

“Every New Yorker deserves a fair shot at success, and through this nation’s first Pre-Apprenticeship Program, we are helping to level the playing field and provide more opportunity for some of our most vulnerable citizens.” Governor Cuomo said. “These investments will connect businesses with skilled workers, provide life-changing opportunities to young people across the state, and help lay the foundation for a stronger, fairer New York for all.”

Following a Request for Proposals announced in July, six training providers will receive funds to develop programs that build on the Governor’s goal of expanding access to apprenticeship opportunities for underserved populations:

Program	Area Served	Amount	Trainees
Rebuilding Together NYC	New York City	$97,500	15
The Edward J. Malloy Initiative for Construction Skills	New York City	$240,000	40
Nontraditional Employment for Women	New York City, Long Island, Westchester Co.	$221,372	36
P/NW BOCES	Putnam & Northern Westchester Counties	$150,000	25
NYC District Council of Carpenters Apprenticeship Journeyman Retraining Educational & Industry Fund	New York City Area	$296,000	50
Northeast Carpenters Apprenticeship Training and Education Fund	Albany, Hudson Valley, Rochester & Long Island	$100,000	25
Total		$1,104,872	191

Pre-Apprenticeship offers participants necessary training and exposure to trades, including construction and manufacturing, as well as direct access to positions in registered apprenticeship programs. The awarded training providers will work with non-profits, community based organizations and other recruitment sources to reach individuals who will benefit from the program. Once a pre-apprentice has graduated into a registered apprenticeship program, they will be connected to a state-funded project, leveraging contracts, including the LaGuardia Airport and Penn Station redevelopments, to get young people involved with and invested in building their communities.

Additionally, the Governor announced the New York State Department of Labor has been awarded an ApprenticeshipUSA State Expansion Grant of $1.5 million, in addition to a recent $200,000 Accelerator Grant awarded by ApprenticeshipUSA in June. These funds will increase the Department of Labor’s ability to work with Regional Economic Development Councils to identify industries in need of skilled workers and connect with employers to establish new Registered Apprenticeship Programs. The programs combine classroom instruction with paid, on-the-job training, allowing participants to earn decent wages that increase as they gain experience.

“Because of the support Governor Cuomo has given to Registered Apprenticeship, New York State has taken great strides to expand apprenticeship into new and emerging sectors over the last several years,”said New York State Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon. “This funding will help us continue to expand the program, allowing us to help more people learn marketable skills while earning a decent wage, putting them on the path to the middle class.”

Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, New York’s Registered Apprenticeship Program has already seen significant growth, increasing from 3,419 newly-enrolled apprentices in 2010 to 4,774 in 2015. This grant will be used to reach more industries and further expand New York’s growing program.

In 2011, non-construction programs made up 25 percent of the total number of programs and at the end of 2015, increased to 31 percent of the overall number of programs. New trades offering apprenticeships include Community Health Workers, Computer Support Technicians, Precision Optics Manufacturing Technicians, and Centerless Grinder Machinists.

Congressman Eliot Engel said, “Pre-Apprenticeship programs are a great way for young men and women to learn a skill that they can build a career around. These programs are especially valuable for at-risk youths who can gain a leg-up in the job market. I applaud Governor Cuomo for using these federal and state funds to expand these opportunities for young people in New York.”​

“Apprenticeships provide skills, training, and a great pathway to the middle class for hardworking Americans,” said Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey. “As Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, I fought hard to secure $90 million for the ApprenticeshipUSA program, and I’m pleased the Governor is utilizing smart federal investments to equip young people with skills that will lead to good jobs and more secure futures.”

“In today’s challenging job market, apprenticeships can have tremendous benefits for the both the employer and its participants,” said Congressman Joe Crowley. “I applaud Governor Cuomo for expanding these programs throughout New York because these are the kinds of investments that create ladders of opportunity and grow our middle class. In Congress, I have made it a focus to help more job-seekers gain new skills to find and retain employment, and I’m thrilled to see these federal dollars directed to workforce development tools that will do just that while encouraging businesses to hire.”

"This Pre-Apprenticeship Program will provide a much-needed opportunity for talented young New Yorkers to invest in and strengthen their communities and build a brighter future,” said Congressman Steve Israel. “I thank Governor Cuomo for his leadership in promoting this important initiative and am grateful for the benefits that it will have for our community.”

“Many at-risk youth never get a fair shot – but thanks to Governor Cuomo’s investments in apprenticeships, more young New Yorkers will have an opportunity to learn skills to help them get good-paying jobs while also enriching their communities and developing skills essential to maintaining our state’s economy,” said Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney. “The Governor and I share a commitment to providing vulnerable communities a hand up, and I look forward to expanding federal initiatives – like ApprenticeshipUSA – to empower the Governor to continue making smart investments in our local economies.”

“Apprenticeships are one of the most effective tools we have to put workers on a path to new skills, higher wages and better careers, and this funding will help put more New Yorkers on that path, particularly at-risk young people and underserved populations,” said Congresswoman Kathleen Rice. “I’m pleased that we secured federal money to support the Governor’s initiative, and I’ll keep doing everything I can to push for expanding apprenticeships on Long Island, throughout the state and throughout the country.”

To learn more about apprenticeships in New York State, click here: labor.ny.gov/apprenticeship/appindex.shtm.

About ApprenticeshipUSA
ApprenticeshipUSA is part of the Obama Administration’s strategy to grow and diversify apprenticeship. Over the next 18 months, this effort will result in thousands of new apprenticeships in diverse industries, including health care, advanced manufacturing, and information technology, that offer workers not just jobs, but careers. These grants provide funding to states and territories to undertake new apprenticeship efforts, which will include efforts in both urban and rural communities. Projects will focus on helping a diverse set of workers – including women and minorities who have too often been left out of apprenticeship efforts in the past – enter into these in-demand fields. To read more, please click here: www.dol.gov/featured/apprenticeship.