Tech colleges receive $900,000 grant for apprenticeship programs

The S.C. Technical College System has been awarded $900,000 in federal grant money to increase apprenticeship opportunities across the state.

The grant, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, is part of the ApprenticeshipUSA State Expansion program. It is the first time the federal government will fund states' efforts to diversify registered apprenticeship programs.

"The SC Technical College System and its Apprenticeship Carolina program are dedicated to increasing the awareness and use of registered apprenticeships in South Carolina. We know from experience that apprenticeships can go a long way to bridging the skills gap that so many companies across our state face," Susan Pretulak, vice president of economic development for the S.C. Technical College System, said in a statement.

The money will go toward using apprenticeship programs as a workforce development strategy; to support strategies to meet demand for new and traditional industries; and to boost innovation across the state to expand opportunities for low-income workers and underrepresented populations.

This story was originally published October 26, 2016 at 6:13 PM with the headline "Tech colleges receive $900,000 grant for apprenticeship programs."