LAEDC celebrates new funding for bioscience apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships

On July 18, 2020 it was announced that the U.S. Department of Labor awarded a $12 million grant to the West Los Angeles College/South Bay Workforce Investment Board (SBWIB) collaborative that will be part of a national effort under its Growing Advanced Manufacturing Apprentices Across America (GAMAAA) program to prepare and place 5,000 workers into pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship roles in advanced manufacturing with a focus on the Aerospace and Bioscience industries over the next four years. The grant was the only one awarded to a California applicant and will support training of new hires and incumbent workers.

In addition to the $12 million federal grant, LA County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas provided the SBWIB with $200,000 in grants to develop apprenticeships and implement the program. The Los Angeles County WDACS Department provided an additional $150,000 for apprentice training. Most recently the California Workforce Development Board and Economic Development Department awarded the SBWIB a $150,000 from the Workforce Accelerator Fund to attract participants into the new Bio-Flex apprenticeship program and to develop additional apprenticeship occupations.

“This very significant grant award reflects the effectiveness of the apprenticeship programs we have collectively created here in the greater South Bay area,” said SBWIB Executive Director Jan Vogel. “Our Aero-Flex and Bio-Flex pre-apprentice and apprenticeship models are now being looked at and implemented nationally.”

You can read the full announcement here.