Vocational Training & Apprenticeships

In June 2025, DOL awarded nearly $84 million through the third round of State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula (SAEF) grants to all 50 states and territories, supporting expansion in technology, AI, advanced manufacturing, supply chain, transportation, and construction trades. The funding includes both base formula allocations and competitive awards for states demonstrating readiness to adopt innovative, evidence-based approaches. Since January 2025, more than 134,000 new apprentices have enrolled in registered programs nationwide. 

Separately, DOL opened $98 million in YouthBuild funding for pre-apprenticeship programs serving young people ages 16-24, with a new requirement that applicants embed AI literacy into their educational models, reflecting the expectation that foundational digital skills should accompany hands-on vocational training.

This analysis finds that even under conservative scenarios, the U.S. needs approximately 63,000 additional skilled trade workers beyond baseline Bureau of Labor Statistics projections; under high-growth scenarios modeling AI as a "Second Industrial Revolution," that figure rises to 140,000. The report emphasizes that skilled trades are not easily fungible and that workforce aging compounds the challenge as experienced workers retire during peak demand periods. CSIS recommends establishing a National AI Infrastructure Workforce Consortium, modeled on the Department of Energy's Foundation for Energy Security and Innovation, to coordinate public and private resources for workforce expansion. The report notes that while tech companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon have launched training partnerships, current efforts remain insufficient relative to projected demand.

CSET's "The State of AI-Related Apprenticeships" documents rapid expansion of apprenticeships in occupations sharing knowledge, skills, and abilities with AI system development. AI-related apprenticeships were “practically nonexistent” in 2013 but have since registered nearly 19,000 new apprentices. During the period of highest growth (2020-2022), new apprentices in AI-related occupations increased by 191%, far exceeding the growth rate for all apprenticeships. The report finds these programs have extremely high completion rates, reach underserved populations, are geographically dispersed across the country, and are used by small- to medium-sized firms to recruit workers. CSET recommends that federal and state governments continue supporting apprenticeship initiatives to solidify apprenticeships as a valuable pathway for workers in AI-related and technical fields while broadening access to quality jobs for a diverse workforce.