Clark University has secured a $27 million federal grant to help thousands of workers enter information technology careers through paid apprenticeships, placing the Worcester university at the center of a national workforce development effort.
The four-year award from the U.S. Department of Labor will fund TechImpact, a project aimed at expanding Registered Apprenticeship programs in information technology and encouraging employers and program sponsors to hire and retain new apprentices who might otherwise lack access to those career paths.
Clark is one of just five organizations nationwide sharing nearly $162 million through the initiative — and the only college or university among the recipients, according to an announcement from the university. The funding runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2030.
The award is the latest — and largest — in a series of federal workforce development grants secured by Clark in recent years. The university has received four Department of Labor awards over the past eight years, totaling $54 million.
“We are proud and honored to be part of this extraordinary collaborative effort that connects people with opportunities to build rewarding and sustainable careers,” Clark President David Fithian said in the announcement. “The ability to help deliver meaningful apprenticeships is consistent with Clark’s mission of providing avenues for experiential learning with tangible human impact.”
The grant comes as the federal government seeks to dramatically expand apprenticeships in industries considered critical to the country’s economic competitiveness. The Trump administration has set a goal of reaching and surpassing 1 million new active apprenticeships nationwide, with targeted growth in fields including artificial intelligence, shipbuilding and nuclear energy.
Registered Apprenticeships combine paid employment with structured training, allowing participants to earn wages while developing skills and working toward industry-recognized credentials. Under the federal initiative, at least 85% of each award will flow directly to eligible apprenticeship sponsors across states and U.S. territories, according to the announcement.
The program uses a pay-for-performance model that ties federal incentive payments to measurable results. Apprenticeship sponsors will receive payments as workers reach verified milestones for retention and career progression.
Clark’s TechImpact initiative is expected to support the enrollment and retention of more than 3,800 new apprentices in IT-focused career pathways while expanding the number of employers and organizations participating in Registered Apprenticeship programs.
“Since 2019, we have worked diligently with our national partner network to sponsor federally approved apprenticeships, both nationally and with key partners in Massachusetts and New England,” John Labrie, Clark’s associate provost and dean of graduate studies and principal investigator on the grant, said in the announcement. “This form of education and employment pathway is proving to be a substantial contributor to meeting workforce needs and allowing individuals to enter IT and IT-related professions that otherwise would not be open to them.”
The university will continue working with Public Consulting Group and a national consortium of workforce development boards, colleges and universities, and industry professionals. Local partners include Quinsigamond Community College and MassHire.
Public Consulting Group will provide administrative and program support, coordinate partners and serve as the payment management systems operator for the project.
The other recipients of federal funding are the Florida Department of Commerce, which received $40 million; Jobs for the Future, $40 million; the Wireless Infrastructure Association, $30 million; and the ASE Education Foundation, $25 million.
Massachusetts Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones said the award builds on Clark’s work in apprenticeship programs both within the state and nationally.
“Clark University continues to demonstrate its leadership in Massachusetts and nationally to expand registered apprenticeship programs,” Jones said in the announcement. “In Massachusetts, we are thrilled to celebrate Clark’s national reach with this significant grant award.”
For Clark, the new funding builds on seven years of work developing apprenticeship programs and partnerships intended to create alternative routes into technical careers.
“With the continuing support and confidence shown by the Department of Labor, Clark will leverage our extensive partner network and established infrastructure to increase the number of employers and sponsors participating in information technology-focused Registered Apprenticeships; support the enrollment and retention of over 3,800 new apprentices in high-quality IT apprenticeship pathways; and accelerate the national scale-up of Registered Apprenticeship in the IT sector through outcome-driven incentives,” TechImpact project manager Dug Jones said in the announcement.
The Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration will oversee the cooperative agreements and the national effort.
