WIA Awarded Nearly $30M to Expand Telecom Workforce Registered Apprenticeships

The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) says it’s one of five organizations nationwide to receive funding through a $29.9 million U.S. Department of Labor cooperative agreement designed to help employers establish and maintain registered apprenticeship programs. DOL awarded a total of $162 million, spread across five organizations. 

The award will enable WIA to provide participating employers with pay-for-performance incentives that support the development, expansion, and long-term success of apprenticeship programs across the telecommunications industry. The initiative is aimed at strengthening the workforce needed to design, deploy, and maintain the networks that power America’s economy and digital future.  

“America’s ability to lead in the next generation of connectivity depends on more than infrastructure investments alone. It depends on the skilled workers who build and maintain that infrastructure,” said WIA President/CEO Patrick Halley. “This funding will help employers create more pathways into high-quality telecommunications careers through apprenticeships while addressing critical workforce needs across the wireless and broadband sectors.”

As the nation marks its 250th anniversary, the telecom industry is laying the groundwork for emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, advanced wireless networks, and future connectivity solutions. Expanding Registered Apprenticeship opportunities is essential to developing the highly skilled workforce needed to support these innovations and meet the growing demand for complex communications infrastructure, according to WIA.

WIA will work with employers to expand access to registered apprenticeships, a proven workforce development model that combines paid, on-the-job training with instruction and mentorship. Apprenticeships create opportunities for veterans, students, career changers, and workers seeking in-demand careers while helping employers develop a reliable pipeline of skilled talent.

WIA is the national sponsor of the Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP). Through TIRAP, WIA supports employers every step of the way, which the organization says makes it easier to launch and sustain registered apprenticeship programs that meet their workforce needs.