Clark University receives $27 million from the U.S. Department of Labor to expand Registered Apprenticeship opportunities in information technology

Clark University has been awarded $27 million from the U.S. Department of Labor to expand high-quality Registered Apprenticeship opportunities in information technology to program sponsors that encourage the hiring and retention of new apprentices who might otherwise not have access to these career paths.

The TechImpact project, announced yesterday, is part of nearly $162 million in funding, through five cooperative agreements, to expand apprenticeships in occupations deemed critical to the administration’s reindustrialization agenda.

Clark is one of only five awardees nationwide and is the only academic institution to receive a Pay-for-Performance (PfP) Incentive Payments Program cooperative agreement. Clark’s funding runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2030. Other awardees include the Florida Department of Commerce ($40M), Wireless Infrastructure Association ($30M), ASE Education Foundation ($25M) and Jobs for the Future ($40M).

“We are proud and honored to be part of this extraordinary collaborative effort that connects people with opportunities to build rewarding and sustainable careers,” said Clark University President David Fithian. “The ability to help deliver meaningful apprenticeships is consistent with Clark’s mission of providing avenues for experiential learning with tangible human impact.”

The DOL’s Employment and Training Administration will administer the cooperative agreements with the organizations that will lead nationwide efforts to train thousands of Americans for jobs in the emerging industry sectors. This performance-based model directly links federal funding to measurable outcomes, providing incentive payments to Registered Apprenticeship sponsors as their apprentices reach verified retention and progression milestones. 

According to the Department of Labor, the PfP program is designed to incentivize the growth of the National Apprenticeship System and develop a pipeline of skilled workers into the economy.  

“We are putting taxpayer dollars to work where they matter most,” said Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling. “Creating real jobs, real skills, and real opportunities in the industries that will define America’s future economic competitiveness.”

Registered Apprenticeship is an earn-while-you-learn model of training, culminating in increased pay, a postsecondary credential, and skills that will drive both personal and American economic prosperity, the DOL says. At least 85% of each award flows directly to eligible Registered Apprenticeship sponsors across all states and territories.

The awards align with the Trump administration's America's Talent Strategy and its goal of reaching and surpassing 1 million new active apprenticeships nationwide and advancing the department’s efforts to expand Registered Apprenticeships in areas like artificial intelligence, shipbuilding, and reinvigorating the nation’s nuclear capacity. 

Grantees will build durable partnerships with national and regional industry associations and employers, ensuring broad industry buy-in and the scalability of their models. They will also coordinate with and leverage other department-funded entities, including states and industry intermediaries supporting Registered Apprenticeship expansion, as appropriate, to align efforts, reduce duplication, and accelerate apprenticeship growth in occupations critical to national priorities.

“Since 2019, we have worked diligently with our national partner network to sponsor federally approved apprenticeships, both nationally and with key partners in Massachusetts and New England,” said John Labrie, associate provost and dean of graduate studies at Clark, who serves as principal investigator on the grant. “This form of education and employment pathway is proving to be a substantial contributor to meeting workforce needs and allowing individuals to enter IT and IT-related professions that otherwise would not be open to them.”

Clark is continuing to work with Public Consulting Group (PCG) and a national consortium of workforce development boards, higher education institutions, and industry professionals on the effort. PCG will provide administrative, programmatic, and partner coordination to support Clark as they work to achieve the grant outcomes. PCG will also serve as the Payment Management Systems Operator for Clark. Local partners include Quinsigamond Community College and MassHire.

“Clark University continues to demonstrate its leadership in Massachusetts and nationally to expand registered apprenticeship programs,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones. “In Massachusetts, we are thrilled to celebrate Clark’s national reach with this significant grant award. As the Healey-Driscoll Administration continues to expand registered apprenticeship in Massachusetts, we look forward to building on our collaboration with Clark University and partners to drive job creation for employers, strengthen skilled talent pipelines, and build careers with good benefits and wages for Massachusetts workers.”

This is the fourth time in the past eight years that Clark has received funding from the Department of Labor to fund workforce development in a range of technical and emerging industries. The combined funding over that time totals $54M.    

“We are excited to build upon our successes over these most recent seven years,” said Dug Jones, project manager. “With the continuing support and confidence shown by the Department of Labor, Clark will leverage our extensive partner network and established infrastructure to increase the number of employers and sponsors participating in information technology-focused Registered Apprenticeships; support the enrollment and retention of over 3,800 new apprentices in high‑quality IT apprenticeship pathways; and accelerate the national scale‑up of Registered Apprenticeship in the IT sector through outcome‑driven incentives.”

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Founded in 1887, Clark University is a liberal arts-based research university that prepares its students to meet tomorrow's most daunting challenges and embrace its greatest opportunities. Through 44 undergraduate majors, more than 30 advanced degree programs, and nationally recognized community partnerships, Clark fuses rigorous scholarship with authentic world and workplace experiences that empower our students to pursue lives and careers of meaning and consequence. TechImpact is an equal opportunity program fully supported by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (ETA).