§ 3723 — Stem Apprenticeship Programs

(a) The Secretary of Commerce may carry out a grant program to identify the need for skilled science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (referred to in this section as “STEM”) workers and to expand STEM apprenticeship programs. (b) In this section, the term “eligible recipient” means— (1) a State; (2) an Indian tribe; (3) a city or other political subdivision of a State; (4) an entity that— (A) is a nonprofit organization, an institution of higher education, a public-private partnership, a science or research park, a Federal laboratory, or an economic development organization or similar entity; and (B) has an application that is supported by a State, a political subdivision of a State, or a native organization; or (5) a consortium of any of the entities described in paragraphs (1) through (5). (c) The Secretary of Commerce may provide a grant to an eligible recipient to conduct a needs assessment to identify— (1) the unmet need of a region’s employer base for skilled STEM workers; (2) the potential of STEM apprenticeships to address the unmet need described in paragraph (1); and (3) any barriers to addressing the unmet need described in paragraph (1). (d) The Secretary of Commerce may provide a grant to an eligible recipient that has conducted a needs assessment as described in subsection (c)(1) to develop infrastructure to expand STEM apprenticeship programs.