The City of Spokane, Wash., is launching a small grant program designed to provide training to prepare more women, minorities and veterans for construction industry jobs, according to patch.com. Grants of up to $2,500 are available for organizations that want to establish or expand pre-apprenticeship programs in construction trades for one or more of these groups.
Construction jobs have increased 18 percent in the Spokane region during the past year, and the city has been working to increase the number of available construction workers. It also has a goal of helping women, minorities and veterans qualify for good-paying construction jobs.
In 2016, Spokane revised its Public Works Apprentice Program statute to require all contractors on public works construction projects to use apprentices for at least 15 percent of the labor hours on the job; the requirement applies to construction projects with an estimated value of $600,000 or more.
Employers, industry associations, colleges or other workforce groups can apply for the grants.
