Secretary Chavez-DeRemer announces $5M in WANTO grants to expand apprenticeship opportunities, good-paying jobs for women

WASHINGTON - U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer today announced a $5 million funding opportunity for up to 14 grants to attract and retain more American workers in Registered Apprenticeship programs and high-growth industries like manufacturing, construction, and cybersecurity.

Administered jointly by the department's Women's Bureauand Employment and Training Administration, the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupationsgrant program supports community-based organizations in their efforts to recruit, train, and retain more women in Registered Apprenticeships and high demand occupations. This announcement follows a thorough evaluation and realignment of the program, which will ensure WANTO grants help the department achieve President Trump's goal of reaching onemillion new active apprentices.

"Under President Trump's leadership and our shared commitment to transparency, the department has been reviewing all taxpayer-funded grants to ensure they fulfill their intended purpose and help this Administration achieve our workforce goals. That's why these WANTO grants are specifically tailored to bolstering the number of women in our Registered Apprenticeship programs, which will help fill the thousands of jobs being created under the President's America First policies," Secretary Chavez-DeRemer said.

The WANTO grants will help address the shortage of American workers across in-demand, highly skilled industries like construction, manufacturing, infrastructure, and cybersecurity. Since the beginning of the Trump Administration, more than 145,000 new apprentices have registered across the nation. Apprenticeships are a proven pathway to good-paying, family-sustaining jobs and help employers recruit, develop, and retain a highly skilled workforce.

Read more about past WANTO grant recipients.

Learn more about how to apply for the 2025 WANTO grants.