Labor Department Awards $95.5M to Reskill Laid-Off Workers Nationwide
Federal grants will fund 20 projects across 17 states to fast-track displaced workers into high-wage jobs in manufacturing, aerospace, and energy.
The U.S. Department of Labor announced $95.5 million in Rapid Reskill Dislocated Worker Grants Wednesday, directing federal funding toward 20 projects in 17 states designed to quickly move laid-off workers into high-growth industries including domestic manufacturing, aerospace, energy production, and construction.
Administered by the department's Employment and Training Administration, the grants are backed by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Each project is structured to assess a participant's existing skills and map a path toward in-demand occupations, with a target of placing workers into paid employment — whether full-time, through a Registered Apprenticeship, or structured on-the-job training — within six months of enrollment.
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The funding spans recipients ranging from state labor agencies to nonprofit workforce organizations. Among the largest individual awards, Florida, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Washington each received the maximum $6.59 million, while Texas-based Adaptive Construction Solutions Inc. received $6.59 million and Louisiana's The Boot received approximately $6.59 million. New York alone has three separate recipients totaling more than $11 million.
Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling framed the initiative as central to the administration's industrial policy ambitions. "They also help ensure a workforce for the Golden Age of reindustrialization and empower workers to stay rooted in their hometown," Sonderling said in a statement. Short-term, intensive training programs leading to industry-recognized credentials are a core design feature across all funded projects.
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