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Governor Laura Kelly announced over $535,000 in grants for 12 Kansas businesses to support workforce development and apprenticeships. With more than $500,000 in local contributions, the total investment exceeds $1 million.
The grants, managed by the Kansas Department of Commerce, help existing Registered Apprenticeship programs cover costs for training, outreach, marketing, staffing, partnerships, and administration. This round also provided funding to five small businesses for apprenticeships without requiring a local match.
Kansas now has 4,010 active apprentices, the highest number in state history. The state’s ranking for apprenticeships has improved from 47th in 2020 to 29th in 2024.
The funding supports a wide range of programs, from partnerships between workforce boards and trade unions in Wichita to agricultural equipment maintenance in western Kansas. These grants aim to grow high-wage, in-demand jobs, attract and retain workers, and continue building Kansas’s skilled workforce through apprenticeship programs.
Grant awardees include:
- American Implement, Inc., Finney County ($93,000): Expanding a tractor maintenance apprenticeship program to include youth.
- Allen County Community College, Allen County ($58,351): Developing a building maintenance and plumbing program with local companies.
- Build A Pro, Saline County ($14,880): Supporting development of construction programs in Salina.
- Full Service, Inc., DBA Full-Service Chimney, Johnson County ($55,929): Developing leadership and supervisory apprenticeships.
- Textron Aviation, Inc., Sedgwick County ($93,000): Continuing to grow airframe and powerplant apprenticeships.
- Workforce Alliance of South-Central KS, Sedgwick County ($93,000): Leveraging work through the workforce board to support local union programs.
- Zeta Commercial Driving School, Johnson County ($93,000): Growing diesel technician apprenticeship programs.
Small business grant awardees include:
- KC Specialized, LLC, Crawford County ($7,000): Developing apprenticeships for commercial driver’s license opportunities.
- Plumb-Crazy Plumbing, LLC, Montgomery County ($7,000): Creating residential plumbing apprenticeships.
- Kansas Bankers Technology, LLC, Saline County ($7,000): Providing cyber security and information technology apprenticeships.
- Breeze Heating and Cooling, LLC, Harvey County ($7,000): Developing heating ventilation and air conditioning apprenticeship opportunities.
- Legitimate Electric, LLC, Harvey County ($7,000): Providing apprenticeships in the residential electrician field.
The Small Business Grant Awards will be offered again in the coming months, with 10 more businesses set to receive funding.
Applications for the second round are due January 23 and can be found here.
