HOUSTON, May 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Safal Partners has been awarded a $2.1 million Scaling Grant from Ascendium Education Group® to launch a new national initiative focused on strengthening integration of Registered Apprenticeship into state and local workforce board Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) service delivery.
Through the two-year initiative, Safal will provide six state cohorts with targeted technical assistance, coaching, peer learning, practical tools, and policy development support. Participating states will be selected in collaboration with Ascendium Education Group®.
In leading the U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Technical Assistance Center of Excellence on System Alignment, Safal undertook the first national assessment of workforce system knowledge and utilization of Registered Apprenticeship in WIOA service delivery. The Center found that, nationwide, fewer than one percent of WIOA Title I participants are co-enrolled in Registered Apprenticeship programs.
“As a national Registered Apprenticeship Industry Intermediary, program sponsor, and technical assistance leader, Safal brings a unique perspective to the work,” said Katie Adams, Chief Delivery Officer at Safal Partners. “We have spent years on the ground providing workforce boards and their partners with first-hand knowledge of how Registered Apprenticeship can help improve WIOA performance metric attainment and participant outcomes. We look forward to supporting states’ work in aligning these two critical systems.”
Safal will help selected state and local workforce boards develop and implement policy, training programs, and partnerships for sustainable apprenticeship-focused service delivery. The project will culminate in a national Peer Learning Summit and a customizable playbook that workforce systems can use to scale effective integration strategies. The goal is to expand Registered Apprenticeship access for populations including low-income learners, rural residents, and individuals facing barriers to employment.
“Safal Partners has a proven track record working at the intersection of the workforce system and Registered Apprenticeship, and we are excited to support this initiative,” said Ascendium Senior Program Officer Brittany Corde. “Strengthening the capacity of local workforce boards to integrate apprenticeship into their service delivery is a powerful way to expand access to high-quality career pathways for learners who face the greatest barriers. We look forward to seeing the impact this work generates and to sharing those lessons with the broader field.”
About Safal Partners
Safal Partners is a mission-driven organization partnering with public sector clients to effectively strengthen America’s workforce, classrooms, and communities. By combining deep domain expertise with data-driven approaches, proven management practices, and responsible tech and AI solutions, Safal drives performance improvement and meaningful outcomes across the “K to Career Continuum.” To learn more, visit www.safalpartners.com.
About Ascendium Education Group®
Ascendium Education Group® is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization driven by the belief that learning after high school gives people the power to build better futures. Our national philanthropy focuses on increasing opportunities for learners from low-income backgrounds to achieve upward mobility through postsecondary education and workforce training. We partner with organizations whose objectives align with our core strategies to expand opportunity, support learner success, and connect and align systems. Our grantees include postsecondary education and workforce training providers, intermediaries, researchers, and media organizations from across the U.S. To learn more, visit ascendiumphilanthropy.org.
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SOURCE Safal Partners
