Clark receives $5M to expand workforce development program

Photo | Timothy Doyle Clark University, Worcester

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By Timothy Doyle

The U.S. Department of Labor granted Clark University $5 million through its Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grant Program, to expand Clark’s Tech Quest Apprenticeship program.

Clark’s School of Professional Studies will administer the grant, which will grow the apprenticeship program from eight to 19 states, training an additional 400 people, according to a Thursday press release from Clark.

“At a time when the country is still recovering from a historic pandemic and unprecedented demands on our labor force, we are extremely grateful that Clark University can continue the work of upskilling and reskilling people in our economy,” John LaBrie, dean and associate provost for graduate studies and international programs and dean of the School of Professional Studies, said in the press release. “This work is both gratifying and central to our mission to educate people for a better life and a brighter future.”

Clark received a $12 million grant for the Tech Quest Apprenticeship program in 2019 and a $10 million grant in 2021. The program has trained people for the information-technology industry, and with the new grant will expand the program into the renewable energy, transportation, and broadband infrastructure fields. About 50% of participants are members of an underserved population or underrepresented community.