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The U.S. Labor Department announced last week that the Obama administration will be providing nearly $2 million in grants to place women in “nontraditional occupations,” such as carpentry, welding, and masonry.

“Apprenticeship programs are effective pipelines into growing industries. But too often, these programs are not as accessible to women,” said Labor Secretary Hilda Solis in a June 26 press release.

“The federal grants announced today will better connect women with apprenticeships, helping them to gain skills in fields that offer long-term career opportunities.”

According to the Labor Department, the funding will support “innovative projects that improve the recruitment, hiring, training, employment and retention of women in apprenticeships in industries such as advanced manufacturing, transportation and construction.”

The grants will focus on “new and emerging green occupations” as well as two other occupational areas: “existing occupations expected to experience primarily an increase in employment demand” and “existing occupations with significant changes to work and worker requirements.”

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