EXCLUSIVE: Trump Administration Announces $86 Million Plan to ‘Make America Skilled Again’

FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—The Department of Labor announced more than $86 million in grants for employers to provide training in high-demand and emerging industries.

“President Trump has directed the Labor Department to Make America Skilled Again by providing states with the resources they need to expand on-the-job training opportunities,” Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said in a statement.

The department awarded grants to 14 states to accelerate innovation, strengthen domestic production, and address critical workforce needs, according to a news release shared with The Daily Signal. More than $20 million will support the revitalization of industries including domestic shipbuilding, welding, marine electrical, and manufacturing.

This is in line with President Donald Trump’s executive orders “Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future” and “Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance.”

“By investing more than $86 million in workforce development initiatives across the country, we are carrying out our responsibility to prepare American workers to fill the mortgage-paying jobs being created by this Administration’s efforts to revitalize American manufacturing, shipbuilding, energy production, and other critical industries,” Chavez-DeRemer said. “This is how we keep America working and winning.”

Grant applicants proposed a model to award funds to employers for training and retaining newly hired and incumbent workers in industries critical to American competitiveness.

Among the grants awarded:

The Arizona Department of Economic Security received $5 million to support advanced manufacturing; Connecticut Department of Labor received $8 million to support advanced manufacturing, construction, distribution, logistics, and transportation, as well as health care, information technology, and shipbuilding; and the Iowa Workforce Development got $4.7 million to support advanced manufacturing.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission won $7 million to support advanced manufacturing, AI-enabling occupations supporting data centers and digital infrastructure, and construction and industrial trades; and the Maine Department of Labor was awarded $8 million to support advanced manufacturing, aerospace, defense, and shipbuilding.

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