CTE Month Celebrations Continue
Last week, congressional leaders moved forward with a bipartisan, bicameral resolution recognizing February as Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month. The resolution, as previously reported, was formally introduced in both chambers by the bipartisan leadership of the Senate and House CTE Caucuses.
The resolution highlights the critical role CTE plays in preparing learners for high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand careers, strengthening local economies, and helping employers meet workforce needs. Broad bipartisan support across the House and Senate reflects continued congressional recognition of CTE’s value to learners, communities, and industry. Read more about the resolution here.
Encourage your Senators and Representatives to support the CTE Month resolution by clicking here.
In addition, the White House released a Presidential Message recognizing February as CTE Month, reaffirming the Trump administration’s commitment to expanding career-connected learning and strengthening the nation’s workforce. The message highlights the critical role CTE plays in preparing learners and workers for in-demand careers, boosting productivity, and supporting economic growth and global competitiveness. The statement also points to recent federal efforts to expand high-quality pathways, including the launch of Workforce Pell Grants for short-term training, the administration’s Talent Strategy to better align education and workforce systems, and a goal of surpassing one million active Registered Apprentices. Read the CTE Month message from the administration here.
Share CTE Month activities with Advance CTE so we can help amplify celebrations nationwide.
DOL Announces Grants to Expand Short-Term Training at Community Colleges
This week, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced the availability of $65 million through the sixth round of Strengthening Community College Training Grants to support community colleges in expanding high-quality, short-term workforce programs aligned to in-demand industries.
The funding prioritizes programs seeking eligibility for newly authorized Workforce Pell Grants and supports statewide systems or college consortia working to strengthen connections between community colleges, employers, and public workforce systems. Grants will also support efforts to build integrated, learner-centered data systems that demonstrate program outcomes and improve alignment across education and workforce partners. Read more about the community college grants here.
Pay-for-Performance Apprenticeship Grants Announced
Last Friday, DOL announced a funding opportunity of up to $145 million to expand and scale Registered Apprenticeship programs (RAPs) through a new Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payments Program. The initiative will award up to five cooperative agreements over four years to support the development of new programs and the growth of existing apprenticeships across key industries.
The funding prioritizes high-demand sectors, including advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, information technology, healthcare, transportation, telecommunications, and the defense industrial base. The performance-based model is designed to reduce barriers for employers and incentivize program sponsors to increase apprenticeship participation and outcomes. Read more about the opportunity to expand RAPs here.
