Pritzker highlights trade jobs, workforce development during Apprenticeship Week

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Illinois received a $1.3 million investment from the U.S. Department of Labor in August to train and support women in the trades. The Biden administration hopes additional federal grants can help more women and people of color launch careers in the industry.

The U.S. Department of Labor wants to develop new relationships with businesses, training providers and workers to ensure hands-on experiences lead to good jobs. Adrielle Lockett, an apprentice with Chicago Painters District Council 14, learned from other Chicago women in trade and is now a mentor for future workers.

"I'm learning how to spray paint. I'm learning how to brush and roll and patch," Lockett said Wednesday at the USDOL Employment and Training Administration Vision 2030 Conference in Chicago. "I learned how to read blueprints in that time. It's only been two years. I know if I can do it and other women and other young people see me doing it, then I hope it can encourage them to do it as well."

President Joe Biden and Governor JB Pritzker hope to see more young people take advantage of job training and educational programs as the country transitions in the 21st century. Pritzker said he is excited to see Illinoisans find their place in construction trade and the clean energy industry.

"Alongside manufacturers like Rivian and TCCI, we're launched world class manufacturing training academies that are fostering career pathways for new students joining fields like electric vehicle manufacturing, IT and so many others," Pritzker said.

USDOL plans to award $98 million in grants to YouthBuild programs across the country. YouthBuild pre-apprenticeship programs lift up low-income children and young adults who dropped out of school, are unemployed or have limited job skills.

"If we think of our workforce system as infrastructure, apprenticeships are the super highways," said USDOL Acting Secretary Julie Su.

The Biden administration plans to continue opening up opportunities for people previously left behind, invest in caregivers, and take action for future jobs.

"When I enacted the largest infrastructure program in state history, we paired it with a program called Illinois Works that sets apprenticeship participation goals on state capital projects and invests in pre-apprentice training grants to kickstart opportunity for women, people of color, and veterans as they build their careers," Pritzker said. "When workers and their families win, we all win."