FY26 Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Technical Assistance Grant Program

Description

The Women's Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department, or we), announces the availability of approximately $10,000,000 in grant funds authorized by the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations ("WANTO") Act of 1992, Pub. L. 102-530, 29 U.S.C. § 2501 et seq.; 29 U.S.C. § 13; and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 for the WANTO Technical Assistance Grant Program. This program aims to provide technical assistance (TA) to employers and labor unions in the United States and its territories to encourage employment of women in apprenticeable occupations or nontraditional occupations (A/NTO), such as Advanced Manufacturing, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Information Technology (IT), mining, and Shipbuilding and Defense Industrial Base, specifically in the following ways: 1.) Developing (establishing, expanding, and/or enhancing) pre-apprenticeships that lead to Registered Apprenticeships, Registered Apprenticeship (as defined in Section III.G. Definitions), or other nontraditional skills training programs designed to prepare women for careers in A/NTO; 2.) Providing ongoing orientations or other resources for employers, unions, and workers on creating a successful environment for women in A/NTO; and/or 3.) Setting up support groups, facilitating networks, and/or providing supportive services (as defined in section III.H.3.) for women in A/NTO to improve their retention.

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