COLUMBUS — Ohio will receive a three-year $9.4 million federal grant to further strengthen the state’s Registered Apprenticeship system and expand the number of apprenticeship opportunities available for Ohioans, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) announced today. Ohio ranks second in the nation for the number of registered apprentices, with more than 19,000 enrolled.

The U.S. Department of Labor awarded higher amounts to states that demonstrated excellent performance in key policy objectives, and Ohio received the maximum amount available for the “Building State Capacity to Expand Apprenticeship through Innovation” grant.

“Apprenticeships are an excellent way to begin building a successful and sustainable career, and this grant will allow us to make that option accessible to even more Ohioans,” said ODJFS Director Kimberly Hall. “Apprentices earn while they learn, avoid student loan debt and, when they complete their programs, their starting salaries can be as much $60,000.”

ODJFS oversees ApprenticeOhio, which registers programs that meet national criteria for quality and safety. Each ApprenticeOhio program is run by a sponsor: usually an employer, a group of employers or a labor/management committee.

Apprentices learn skills needed for a job in the sponsor’s industry through at least 2,000 hours of structured on-the-job training and 144 hours of classroom training, typically at a local college or university.

The capacity-building grant will be used to fund system improvements, incentives to help employers pay for the costs of training and tools, and pre-apprenticeship opportunities to better serve underrepresented populations, including minorities, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and individuals with criminal records. ODJFS will administer the grant in partnership with the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, Ohio Workforce Association, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, and the Ohio Departments of Education and Higher Education.