Industry-Driven Healthcare Apprenticeship Program

The Missouri Chamber Foundation has secured funding to launch the Industry-Driven Healthcare Apprenticeship Program, with a $3 million ARPA grant and a $1.35 million federal appropriation. Drawing inspiration from the successful Industry-Driven IT Apprenticeship Grant presently managed by the Missouri Chamber Foundation, this initiative focuses on health care professions. 

During the grant cycle spanning January 2023 to January 2026, employers engaging in the program will be awarded $2,000 for each apprentice they train. These participating employers will form a consortium alongside experienced employer mentors who have previously established effective apprenticeship initiatives. Facilitating networking opportunities, the Missouri Chamber Foundation will allow employer partners to exchange best practices and insights.

With the aim of training up to 1,500 apprentices via this grant, a key objective is cultivating a diverse workforce. The proposal inherently includes provisions to engage individuals from various backgrounds, encompassing people of color, those with low income, the unemployed and underemployed, disabled individuals and veteran workers. The program is aligned with the ARPA Workforce grant’s intention, striving to transition over 95 percent of trained apprentices into permanent full-time employees.