UC Riverside Receives Nearly $1M In Federal Grant Money

RIVERSIDE, CA — UC Riverside is among more than two dozen entities throughout the nation slated to receive U.S. Department of Labor grants intended to expand apprenticeship opportunities across a variety of fields for jobs growth, it was announced Tuesday.

UCR's $999,501 "Apprenticeship Closing the Skills Gap" grant will be used to support programs geared to apprenticeships in advanced manufacturing, healthcare, information technology and other sectors.

Altogether, 28 public-private partnerships, including the one in Riverside, will benefit from the grant awards, which total almost $100 million, according to the Department of Labor.

The goal is for about 92,000 individuals to receive apprenticeship opportunities stemming from the grant funding.

"For Americans who want an alternative to the traditional bachelor's degree, apprenticeships are a way to learn valuable skills that lead to good paying careers," U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia said.

"Companies across the country tell me that their greatest challenge today is finding the skilled workers they need. This funding will bolster America's competitiveness by adding more skilled workers to fill millions of open jobs today and in the future."

The Labor Department program is funded by H-1B fees collected as part of the immigration process, officials said.