Bloomberg Philanthropies Announces First-Of-Its-Kind National Skilled Trades Initiative to Accelerate High School Students into High-Wage, In-Demand Trade Careers

$90 million initiative expands and modernizes technical training in nine U.S. regions with key partners including Ford Motor Company in Detroit - connecting students directly to paid training and Registered Apprenticeships in electrical, plumbing, HVAC, construction, carpentry, welding, and auto tech

Bloomberg Philanthropies' investment in Career and Technical Education totals $570 million

New York, NY - Bloomberg Philanthropies today announced a $90 million initiative to change how high school students prepare for and enter Registered Apprenticeships and high-wage, family-sustaining careers in the skilled trades. The initiative, which will be free for students, will launch in nine U.S. geographies and focus on infrastructure-related fields including electrical work, HVAC, plumbing, welding, construction, carpentry, and auto tech. It is the first national program exclusively for high schoolers designed to provide direct pathways to careers in skilled trades, while also addressing acute labor shortages in targeted geographies.

The initiative will provide coursework and paid on-the-job training for approximately 15,000 students across Boston, MA; Chattanooga, TN; Detroit, MI; Houston, TX; Raleigh, NC; Richmond, VA; St. Louis, MO; Washington, D.C.; and the state of New Jersey - with 2,000 students advancing into Registered Apprenticeships. By formalizing partnerships among labor unions, local school districts, local governments, and employers, the initiative aims to replace the current fragmented mix of training programs available to high schoolers with a clear, scalable route from the classroom to a career.

Since 2016, Bloomberg Philanthropies has supported innovative Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs around the country to create strong career opportunities in high-growth industries for over 300,000 students. Students have gained relevant experience and recognized credentials through internships, apprenticeships, academics, and work-based learning. In 2024, Bloomberg Philanthropies announced the creation of high schools around the nation that pair public education systems and hospitals to directly graduate students into high-demand healthcare jobs with family-sustaining wages. This initiative is now in 13 communities. To date, Bloomberg Philanthropies' total investment in CTE initiatives, including this new skilled trades program, is $570 million, reflecting a continued commitment to creating sustainable, long-term models of workforce development and economic mobility.

"Millions of good-paying jobs are going unfilled, and too many students never get a chance to learn the skills necessary to get them. This new initiative will help change that," said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies and three-term mayor of New York City. "By bringing schools, unions, and employers together as partners, we can offer students free training and credentials that lead directly to rewarding careers. Jobs in the skilled trades helped build America's middle class, and now they can help a new generation enter and strengthen it."

The new initiative responds to both growing student interest in skilled trades careers and the rising national demand for qualified workers in these fields. Across the country, the gap between available jobs and trained tradespeople is expected to intensify as large portions of the current workforce reach retirement age. Industry analyses drawing on Bureau of Labor Statistics data estimate that the construction industry will need to hire more than 700,000 workers annually to meet demand, including approximately 81,000 electricians and 44,000 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters each year, creating significant opportunities for students seeking high-demand, well-paying career pathways.

The average age of new apprentices in the U.S. is 29. Introducing students to skilled trades careers earlier through supportive, high-quality high school pathways benefits both workers and employers: young people gain earlier access to stable, well-paying careers, while employers build a stronger pipeline of skilled workers during their prime working years.

Bloomberg Philanthropies is helping to tackle systemic barriers to entry and build a more direct path to career-ready certification and careers. The initiative focuses on three core strategic pillars:

• Integrated Apprenticeships: Students begin apprenticeship pathways while still in high school, earning industry-recognized credentials, hands-on training, and advanced standing in Registered Apprenticeship programs before graduation - enabling them to enter the workforce at a higher pay grade upon graduation.
• Applied Technical Curriculum: Technical instruction is co-designed with unions and employers to reflect real-world job requirements, combining hands-on learning, modern technologies, and rigorous academics aligned to apprenticeship standards.
• Seamless Career Launch: Formal partnerships among school districts, governments, unions, and employers create direct pipelines from the classroom into Registered Apprenticeships and long-term careers.

The nine participating regions were selected based on localized labor market data and long-term projections for career growth in the trades. By focusing on areas with the strongest demand for new talent, the initiative will help ensure students are training for careers that are aligned with the actual economic needs of their communities.

In Detroit, Bloomberg Philanthropies and Ford Motor Company are co-investing in the automotive technician program at Detroit Public Schools - upgrading facilities, implementing a new employer-led curriculum and quadrupling program capacity. Integrating industry-standard certifications directly into the high school experience will help create a seamless pipeline to high-demand roles across Ford's dealer network and the broader auto sector. Ford Motor Company's investment is part of its $300 million commitment to skilled trades workforce development and the Essential Economy this year.

"The future of our country depends on the skilled trades," said Jim Farley, CEO of Ford. "By 2029, we're going to need more than 350,000 new auto technicians across the country - including about 7,000 here in Michigan. But these are highly skilled jobs, and people need a way to start learning earlier, build those skills over time and do it without taking on a lot of debt. That's why Ford is investing in innovative programs like this - to disrupt the old model and give students a direct path from high school to great jobs, with the chance to keep growing their income, their skills and even their own businesses over time."

Other regional partners involved in the new Bloomberg Philanthropies initiative include: