Clark University Receives $27 Million Federal Award to Expand IT Apprenticeships
Correction: This article has been updated to clarify that Clark University’s $27 million federal award will support eligible Registered Apprenticeship program sponsors through performance-based payments. Public Consulting Group will serve as the Payment Management Systems Operator for Clark, not as the national apprenticeship sponsor.
By Jerry Filmore
WORCESTER, MA — A new federal award administered through Clark University is expected to expand paid information technology apprenticeship opportunities for thousands of workers while placing a Worcester institution at the center of a national workforce-development effort.
The U.S. Department of Labor awarded Clark University $27 million to create TechImpact, a national initiative focused on expanding registered apprenticeships in information technology. The funding period began July 1, 2026, and continues through June 30, 2030.
Clark is one of five organizations nationwide receiving part of nearly $162 million in federal apprenticeship funding. It is the only academic institution selected for the Department of Labor’s Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payments Program cooperative agreements.
How the program will work
Registered Apprenticeship programs combine paid employment with structured training and instruction. Participants earn wages while learning occupational skills and working toward industry credentials.
The federal pay-for-performance model will provide payments to eligible apprenticeship sponsors when apprentices reach verified employment, retention and advancement milestones. At least 85% of each award is expected to flow directly to eligible Registered Apprenticeship sponsors across the country, according to Clark University’s announcement.
An apprenticeship sponsor may be an employer, labor organization, industry association, education provider or another organization responsible for operating and maintaining a registered program.
Clark said TechImpact plans to support the enrollment and retention of more than 3,800 new apprentices in information technology pathways. The project will also work to increase the number of employers and organizations participating in registered apprenticeships.
The source material does not identify the specific IT occupations that will be included in TechImpact. It also does not provide participant eligibility requirements, wage levels, application dates or a list of participating employers.
Worcester-area organizations involved
Clark will continue working with Public Consulting Group and a national network of workforce-development boards, colleges and industry professionals.
Public Consulting Group will provide administrative, program and partner coordination. Local partners named in Clark’s announcement include Quinsigamond Community College and MassHire. The announcement does not specify which MassHire offices or programs will participate locally.
Those partnerships provide a direct Worcester and Central Massachusetts connection to a program that will operate nationally. However, Clark has not yet announced how many apprenticeship placements will be available specifically to Worcester-area residents or employers.
Clark President David Fithian said the project connects people with opportunities to develop sustainable careers and reflects the university’s focus on experiential learning.
John Labrie, Clark’s associate provost and dean of graduate studies, said the apprenticeship model can help people enter information technology professions that might otherwise be difficult to access. Labrie is serving as the grant’s principal investigator.
Fourth federal workforce award in eight years
This is the fourth time in eight years that Clark has received Department of Labor funding for workforce development in technical and emerging industries. The four awards total $54 million, according to the university.
Clark received a $12 million federal award in 2019 for the Tech Quest Apprenticeship initiative. That program provided training through pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeships in IT and related fields and reported serving more than 6,800 participants before ending in 2024.
A $10 million award announced in 2021 supported the TechBoost workforce-training partnership, which included Quinsigamond Community College, MassHire Central and several employers and workforce organizations. Clark later received $5 million in 2023 for TechBuild, an initiative focused on workforce training connected to renewable energy, transportation and broadband infrastructure.
Part of a national apprenticeship investment
The Department of Labor awarded the nearly $162 million through five cooperative agreements supporting apprenticeships in information technology, telecommunications, automotive services and other industries.
Along with Clark’s $27 million award, Jobs for the Future received $40 million, the Florida Department of Commerce received $40 million, the Wireless Infrastructure Association received approximately $29.9 million and the ASE Education Foundation received $25 million.
The federal government described the awards as part of its broader workforce and industrial strategy. Political and policy descriptions attached to the funding reflect the administration’s stated priorities and do not establish how many Worcester residents will ultimately participate.
What happens next
Clark and its partners will begin developing and coordinating the TechImpact program during the four-year grant period. That work is expected to include recruiting apprenticeship sponsors, registering programs and occupations, enrolling apprentices and tracking employment and retention milestones.
For Worcester residents interested in participating, several practical details remain unavailable. Clark has not released an application, enrollment schedule, complete list of employers, participant qualifications or information about whether opportunities will be offered in person, remotely or through a combination of both.
Residents can follow updates through Clark University’s workforce-grant programs and its official TechImpact announcements. Local opportunities may also be announced later through Quinsigamond Community College, MassHire and participating employers.
🔎 W.U.W. Verification Box
• Project / Topic: Clark University’s TechImpact registered apprenticeship initiative focused on information technology.
• Current Status: Clark University has received a $27 million cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Labor. Program development and implementation will take place with national and local partners.
• Key Dates or Decisions: The Department of Labor announced the award on July 7, 2026. Clark announced the funding on July 9, 2026. The funding period runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2030.
• Estimated Cost: The federal award to Clark University totals $27 million. The Department of Labor awarded nearly $162 million across five cooperative agreements.
• Timeline: The TechImpact project is funded for four years, ending June 30, 2030.
• Immediate Next Steps: Clark and its partners are expected to recruit apprenticeship sponsors, register programs and occupations, enroll apprentices and track verified employment and retention outcomes.
• Primary Sources: Clark University and the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration.
• What We Do Not Yet Know: Clark has not released participant eligibility requirements, application dates, wage information, participating employers, specific IT occupations or the number of opportunities that will be available in Worcester and Central Massachusetts.
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