First authorized under the WANTO Act of 1992, The Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Technical Assistance Grant Program is designed to expand pathways for women into industries where they are historically underrepresented or concentrated in lower-wage tiers.

The Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Technical Assistance Grant Program is a key federal initiative administered by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Women’s Bureau and the Employment and Training Administration (ETA).

How to Leverage WANTO Grants as a Trade Aspirant

If you or someone you are advising wants to enter a trade, WANTO-funded organizations are among the highest-yield leads available:

  1. Free Training & Support: Because CBOs are funded by this federal grant, their pre-apprenticeship courses, tool stipends, and placement assistance are usually provided at no cost to female participants.
  2. Direct Entry Pipeline: WANTO-funded CBOs partner directly with local trade unions (e.g., IBEW, UA, IUOE, UBC) and contractor associations. Graduates of WANTO-supported pre-apprenticeships often receive direct-entry status or preferred ranking on union apprenticeship waiting lists.
  3. Locating Funded Organizations: You can view annual lists of grant winners on the U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau website (dol.gov/agencies/wb/grants/wanto) to find the active WANTO recipient operating in your state or region.

Funding Allocation & Target Sectors

  • Annual Investment: Federal appropriations typically fund $5 million to $10 million annually, supporting around 7 to 28 CBO projects per cycle across the country.
  • Target Industries: While heavily focused on construction and the building trades (electrical, plumbing, carpentry, operating engineering, welding), WANTO grants also fund initiatives in advanced manufacturing, clean energy, transportation, cybersecurity, IT, and healthcare.
  • Focus on Priority Groups: Organizations funded by WANTO prioritize recruitment for women of color, low-income women, justice-involved/formerly incarcerated women, military veterans, and women in rural areas.

Core Objectives & How the Grant Works

The federal government does not directly give WANTO funds to individual workers. Instead, it awards grants—typically $350,000 to $750,000 per recipient over a 24-month period—to Community-Based Organizations (CBOs).

These recipient organizations use the funding to provide technical assistance and resources to employers, labor unions, and female workers in three major ways:

  1. Pre-Apprenticeship & Registered Apprenticeship Pipeline Development
    • Establishing, expanding, or enhancing pre-apprenticeship programs designed specifically to prepare women for skilled trade entry.
    • Teaching basic tool safety, trade math, physical conditioning, and OSHA standards to ensure high pass rates on union entry exams.
  2. Employer & Union Technical Assistance
    • Training employers and joint apprenticeship training committees (JATCs) on how to recruit, integrate, and support women on active job sites.
    • Assisting with workplace culture adjustments, establishing anti-harassment standards, and ensuring proper access to gear (like fitting PPE for women).
  3. Retention & Supportive Services
    • Setting up peer-mentorship networks, trade-sister support groups, and retention tools so women complete their 2–5 year apprenticeships.
    • Providing direct supportive services, which can include assistance with trade tools, work boots, transportation, and childcare stipends.

Real-World Leads: Active WANTO Grantee Organizations

If you or someone you know is looking for a direct entry path, these community-based organizations receive WANTO funding to train and place women at zero cost:

  • Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership (WRTP/BIG STEP): Operates technical tutoring, physical preparation, and direct union placement programs across Wisconsin and the Midwest.
  • Building Futures: Connects women directly to building trade apprenticeships through structured pre-apprenticeship cohorts.
  • CareerRise Inc.: Manages workforce development and technical assistance programs targeting non-traditional career pathways.
  • Workforce Alliance Inc.: Focuses on expanding female representation in regional skilled labor markets and manufacturing pipelines.
  • Great Jobs KC: Focuses on pre-apprenticeship pathways and supportive services to help women enter and remain in high-wage trade careers.