CareerRise Awarded WANTO Grant to Expand Opportunities for Women in Apprenticeships
CareerRise is proud to announce that we have been awarded the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) grant. In 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor awarded $5 million to only seven community-based organizations nationwide, and we are honored to be among them.
This national program is designed to expand pathways for women to enter and thrive in apprenticeship programs and careers where they remain significantly outnumbered. Through this grant, we will work with employers across metro Atlanta and 10 surrounding counties to create sustainable career opportunities in high-demand industries.
What This Means
Over the course of the grant, CareerRise will provide technical assistance to employers looking to establish, expand, or enhance apprenticeship programs with a specific focus on increasing women’s participation. We will partner with other organizations to serve women ages 16 and older, connecting them to apprenticeships and nontraditional occupations while providing comprehensive support including childcare, transportation, training stipends, mentorship, and career counseling.
“This isn’t just about filling jobs,” said Nate Futrell, Industry Partnerships Director at CareerRise. “It’s about creating pathways to economic mobility and transforming lives. When we support women in entering high-demand industries and help employers expand apprenticeship programs to women, everyone benefits.”
Why It Matters
Women make up a small fraction of workers in many high-paying, in-demand industries. This grant enables us to address the obstacles that prevent women from entering these fields by supporting both the women pursuing nontraditional careers and the employers committed to welcoming them. Together, we’re championing good jobs, supporting skilled workers, and strengthening our communities.
We’re grateful to the U.S. Department of Labor for this investment in our region’s women and workforce and excited about the doors this will open.
Learn more about the WANTO grant program and CareerRise’s approach at dol.gov/agencies/wb/grants/wanto.