Gateway Apprenticeship Hub reaches lifetime federal grant goal of 750 apprentices
A SWIC apprentice is shown.
The Gateway Apprenticeship Hub has officially reached its lifetime federal grant goal, enrolling 750 registered apprentices in just under four years. The milestone reflects the strength of regional partnerships and the growing impact of Registered Apprenticeship Programs across the St. Louis region.
Launched in 2022 with funding from the U.S. Department of Labor, the Gateway Apprenticeship Hub connects individuals to sustainable career pathways while helping employers address critical workforce needs in education, healthcare and bioscience.
Shown is a Washington University apprentice.
“Reaching 750 apprentices is both exciting and deeply meaningful,” said Rebecca Ryan, grant manager of the Gateway Apprenticeship Hub. “This milestone demonstrates what’s possible when employers, educators and community partners come together around a shared commitment to long-term opportunity.”
Education has emerged as the Hub’s most successful industry sector, driven by passionate partners and deeply engaged employers, including school districts, charter schools and early childhood education providers, who recognize apprenticeships as a real solution to ongoing workforce challenges.
Key education partners include Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, McKendree University and the University of Missouri–St. Louis, with additional early childhood education collaborators such as Southwestern Illinois College, Lewis & Clark Community College, Kaskaskia College, STAR for Early Childhood Educators and the YWCA of Metro St. Louis.
The Hub has also built strong apprenticeship pathways in healthcare and bioscience. Healthcare partners include BJC HealthCare, the Special School District of St. Louis, Bethesda Health Group and SWIC, while bioscience collaborations feature SIUE, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Washington University’s McDonnell Genome Institute.
These partnerships highlight how apprenticeships can fill workforce gaps and create lasting career opportunities across industries.
“This achievement goes beyond a single number,” Ryan added. “It represents futures launched, systems strengthened and programs designed to grow well beyond the grant period.”
For more information about the Gateway Apprenticeship Hub and its apprenticeship programs, visit GatewayApprenticeshipHub.com or email [email protected].
Provided photos.
An UMSL apprentice.
About Gateway Apprenticeship Hub
The Gateway Apprenticeship Hub was established as a result of a workforce development grant from the US Department of Labor. Its goal is to build a varied and expert pool of applicants for healthcare, bioscience, and education employers throughout the region through Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs). It seeks to develop and expand these RAPs for the immediate benefit of employers, employees, and the region. For more information, visit www.gatewayapprenticeshiphub.com or find it on Facebook or LinkedIn.
