DOL Awards $43 Million to 7 States for Skills Training in Key Industries
Federal grants will fund employer-driven training in shipbuilding, manufacturing, and nuclear energy across seven states.
The U.S. Department of Labor announced Wednesday the distribution of $43 million in Industry-Driven Skills Training Fund grants to seven states, targeting workforce development in shipbuilding, advanced manufacturing, aerospace, and nuclear energy, among other sectors deemed critical to national economic priorities.
The grants, administered by the Employment and Training Administration, function as outcome-based reimbursements to employers who deliver training aligned with rapidly evolving skill demands and regional labor market needs. More than $10 million of the latest round is directed specifically toward occupations tied to domestic shipbuilding and the broader maritime supply chain.
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This second round follows a September 2025 disbursement of more than $86 million to 14 states in the program's first round. Combined, both rounds total more than $129 million invested across 21 states, with over $30 million earmarked for the shipbuilding sector alone. Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling described the grants as integral to restoring American manufacturing competitiveness and ensuring workers can fill high-skill, high-wage positions.
The seven recipients in the current round are Colorado, Indiana, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington, each receiving between approximately $4.6 million and $6.7 million. The program spans a broad range of industries including cybersecurity, healthcare, infrastructure, quantum computing, domestic mineral production, and information technology, reflecting the administration's stated reindustrialization agenda.
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