The Climate Works Pre-apprenticeship Program provides grants to organizations to operate three regional Pre-apprenticeship Centers throughout Illinois. The Pre-apprenticeship Centers will recruit and prescreen participants and provide free pre-apprenticeship skills training for careers in construction, the building trades, and clean energy. Upon completion, participants will be connected to and prepared to succeed in an apprenticeship program. The program aims to create a qualified and diverse pipeline of workers for clean energy careers.
Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations that provide employment, skill development, or related services in the proposed regions; have established relationships with local residents and community organizations; have experience serving low-wage or low-skilled workers from economically disadvantaged communities; and have relationships with registered construction and building trade apprenticeship programs, industry contractors, or contractor associations.