Bloomberg Philanthropies has announced a $25 million commitment in support of career and technical education programs for high school students in nine U.S. cities.

The commitment will support industry training and work experience for positions in business operations, health care, information technology, financial services, and advanced manufacturing, and step-into jobs such as certified medical assistant, IT support technician, human resources associate, web developer, and machine maintenance technician. The commitment includes $12.5 million for work-based apprentice-style programs adapted from the Swiss and German apprenticeship systems. Recipients include Birmingham Promise in Birmingham, Alabama, which was awarded nearly $2 million to catalyze the growth of a citywide internship and apprenticeship program, and CityWorks DC in Washington, D.C., which will receive $2.5 million for a new apprenticeship program and to help engage more employers in youth career programs.

The remaining $12.5 million will support school-based career training programs, including Baltimore's Promise, which was awarded nearly $4 million to expand the Grad2Careers program for recent high school graduates; Propel America, which will receive $1.5 million to scale career preparation and industry credentialing efforts in Providence, Rhode Island, and Camden, New Jersey; and the State of Delaware, which was awarded $4.5 million as part of the state's $15.8 million expansion of its career pathways program, an effort to enable approximately 80 percent of the state's public high school students to gain work-based learning experiences, industry credentials, and early college credits for in-demand careers before they graduate.

"High school students have had their educations turned upside down by the pandemic. To put them on a path to success, we need to ensure they have access to the opportunities they need to reach their full potential — and that includes creating new avenues for them to get there," said Bloomberg Philanthropies founder Michael R. Bloomberg. "Apprentice-style and school-based career programs allow students to get the skills and high-quality, on-the-job experience they need – and employers are looking for. These programs will help more young people begin successful careers and build a stronger future for our country."