FloridaCommerce National Apprenticeship Incentive Program

CareerSource Florida administers the National Apprenticeship Incentive Program in partnership with FloridaCommerce. The U.S. Department of Labor award is $40 million. That is the program budget, not the amount a sponsor can receive. The program site says eligible sponsors may receive up to $6,000 per apprentice, tied to enrollment and retention milestones, including a 90-day milestone.

The program is nationwide. Published industries are maritime industrial shipbuilding, aerospace and aviation, defense, advanced manufacturing, and construction trades. The site lists examples such as welders, electricians, industrial machinery mechanics, aircraft mechanics, and software engineers, plus other approved occupations.

The program site says sponsors can apply through an online portal and invites them to apply today. WorkHands has not confirmed that the portal is accepting submissions, so this listing stays Coming Soon.

Prepare your apprenticeship program

While formal applications are being finalized, Registered Apprenticeship sponsors can prepare by reviewing program eligibility and organizing the records typically needed to document apprentice participation and performance.

1. Confirm your organization's Registered Apprenticeship sponsor information.
2. Review which occupations and locations are eligible for the incentive program.
3. Identify apprentices or future apprentice cohorts that may qualify.
4. Maintain accurate apprentice registration and enrollment records.
5. Track employment and retention dates.
6. Document related instruction, on-the-job learning, and completion milestones where applicable.
7. Review the administrator's official requirements as they become available.

This is preliminary preparation. Administrators will not all ask for the same documents.

The program site describes Registered Apprenticeship sponsors in maritime industrial shipbuilding, defense, aerospace and aviation, advanced manufacturing, and construction trades. It names example occupations, including welders, electricians, industrial machinery mechanics, aircraft mechanics, and software engineers, and says other occupations must be approved. Registration of the apprenticeship does not by itself approve a sponsor for the incentive.

Potential sponsor incentive: up to $6,000 per eligible apprentice, tied to published retention milestones. Federal program award: $40 million to FloridaCommerce. The federal award is not available to a single applicant.