The Teamsters Safety and Health Department has been awarded a $4.6 million grant, to be awarded over a five-year funding cycle, by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to establish apprenticeship programs for workers in the trucking industry.
The DOL published a Notice of Funding Opportunity in the fall of 2014 in an effort to develop a trained workforce in industries that are deemed critical to the U.S. economy and have significant demand for or shortages of qualified workers.
“The Teamsters are at the forefront of worker training and this new grant from the Labor Department will enable workers to get the skills that employers seek,” said James P. Hoffa, Teamsters General President.
In addition to creating certified apprenticeship programs, the grant funding must be used to develop qualified instructors and provide training to recent high school graduates, incumbent Teamster members who are transitioning from non-driving transportation jobs to jobs that require Class A or Class B Commercial Driver’s Licenses, and military personnel who are transitioning to civilian life.