Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announces over $1 million for apprenticeship programs across the state.

 

Kelly made the announcement Monday that the program will include more than $535,000 for 12 Kansas businesses to support apprenticeship programs that attract and retain workers. The program includes more than $500,000 in local matching funds to bring the total workforce investment to over $1 million. Among grant recipients was Allen Community College in Iola that was awarded just over $58,000 to develop a building maintenance and plumbing program.

 

Administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce, the grants support Registered Apprenticeship programs through training, outreach, staffing, partnerships, and administrative costs, including funding for five small businesses that did not require a match. One local business receiving grant funding is Plumb Crazy Plumbing in Independence to create residential plumbing apprenticeships.

 

Kansas now has a record 4,010 active apprentices and has improved its national apprenticeship ranking from 47th in 2020 to 29th in 2024, as the funding expands high-wage, high-demand programs statewide.