Montana partnership receives one of nine grants awarded to pilot youth apprenticeships in Helena and Billings, with plans to scale statewide
Helena, MT, May 29, 2019 – Selected from a highly competitive pool of over 220 applicants from 49 states and Puerto Rico, the Montana Youth Apprenticeship Partnership (MYAP) has been awarded a grant from the Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship (PAYA). The grant will support local employers, educators, community partners, and policy leaders who are working together to build high-quality youth apprenticeship programs that promote inclusive economic development and create new opportunities for young people.
Montana Youth Apprenticeship Partnership is one of nine winners. With the grant, MYAP will develop and pilot youth apprenticeship programs in Helena and Billings, targeting health care and information technology as primary industry sectors. One of the key outcomes of the project is to develop strategies to expand youth apprenticeships to additional Montana communities and additional employment sectors.
“Apprenticeships for adults has been a key part of Montana’s talent pipeline solution,” said Governor Steve Bullock. “Developing youth apprenticeships supports the efforts of my administration and our education partners to prepare Montana’s students for success in the workforce.”
“We have intentionally selected information technology and health care for our pilot projects because they are demand occupations, but also because these are occupations that pay living wages in Montana,” said Kristin Tessman, Montana coordinator for American Jobs for America’s Youth, and MYAP project lead.
The grant funding will support MYAP’s strategy development and implementation activities over a 17-month period, beginning in May 2019. In addition to the funds, PAYA will provide MYAP with tailored technical assistance from PAYA’s National Partners, cross-site learning, and opportunities to participate in national research, communications, and storytelling efforts.
MYAP will also now join the newly formed PAYA Network, a learning community designed to link dynamic partnerships working to launch, expand, and improve apprenticeship opportunities for high school-aged youth. To learn more about the PAYA Network members and grant awardees, click here.