Press Release: 1/14/2026

Healey-Driscoll Administration Lowers Apprenticeship Fees for Employers, Expands Registered Apprenticeship Tax Credit

 



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:



1/13/2026



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Karissa Hand, Press Secretary



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Call Karissa Hand, Press Secretary at 617-725-4025



BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced the Division of Apprentice Standards (DAS) has lowered the annual program fee for Registered Apprenticeship sponsors from $300 to $250. The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) has also expanded eligibility for the Registered Apprenticeship Tax Credit to include occupations featuring AI-related credentials, defense manufacturing, and additional manufacturing occupations.   



Registered Apprenticeship provides individuals with paid work experience including classroom instruction and on-the-job training combined with securing nationally recognized credentials, progressive wage increases, and economic mobility and advancement.  



“By lowering fees and expanding the Registered Apprenticeship tax credit eligibility, we’re making it easier for employers to invest in their workforce through Registered Apprenticeship,” said Governor Maura Healey. “These actions help Massachusetts businesses grow, create good-paying career opportunities, and strengthen our economy for everyone."



“Reducing costs for apprenticeship programs makes it more affordable for Massachusetts employers to invest in their workforce,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “These changes lower barriers,helping businesses train skilled workers, grow their teams, and stay competitive."



The Registered Apprentice Tax Credit supports the growth of registered apprenticeships in key Massachusetts industries, offering employers a refundable tax credit of up to $4,800 per qualified apprentice. Employers use the tax credit to hire apprentices in growing industries like clean energy, health care, and education. 



For tax year 2026, the following occupations are now eligible for the Registered Apprenticeship Tax Credit:



Artificial Intelligence Related Credentials 




  • Health Information Management Business Analyst

  • AI Data Annotator

  • Cloud Support Specialist

  • AI Security Specialist

  • Systems Engineer (AI Solutions Specialist)

  • Machine Learning Data Curator

  • AI Consultant



Defense Manufacturing Occupations 




  • Transportation, Storage and Distribution Managers

  • Shipwright (Ship & Boat)

  • Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians

  • Nautical Instrument Mechanic

  • Riggers

  • Motorboat Mechanics and Technicians

  • Able Seaman

  • Maritime Officer

  • Motorboat Operator

  • Officer in Charge of Engineering Watch

  • Dredge Operator

  • Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators

  • Laborers and Freight, Stock and Material Movers, Hand

  • Tank Car, Truck and Ship Loaders

  • Guided Missile Launching System Technician



Other Manufacturing Occupations




  • Audio and Video Technician

  • Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers

  • Biomedical Equipment Technician

  • Industrial Machinery Mechanics

  • Maintenance and Repair Workers, General



A full list of tax credit eligible occupations is available here.



“Registered Apprenticeship is a strategic tool in the state’s workforce agenda, and the Healey-Driscoll Administration is increasing adoption among employers for this effective workforce model,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones. “In doing so, the administration is also reducing program fees and expanding eligibility for the Registered Apprenticeship Tax Credit as we attract more employers to leverage apprenticeship as a tool to build and prepare skilled talent and, in turn, drive competitiveness across Massachusetts.”



“By cutting fees and expanding tax credits, we’re making it even easier for employers and labor unions to invest in apprentice programs,” said Undersecretary of Labor Josh Cutler. “Registered apprenticeship is a time-tested model, and these changes help make Massachusetts a more affordable place to build a skilled workforce.”



DAS within EOLWD administers the Commonwealth’s Registered Apprenticeship Programs. DAS offers over 500 active programs with more than 10,000 active apprentices. Construction and building trades apprenticeships comprise the majority of programs with nearly a quarter of registered apprentices in expansion industries such as health care, education, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing.  



“We are so pleased to be able to make these changes, “said Director of the Division of Apprentice Standards Lara Thomas. “We are striving make it more cost-effective to work with us while also incentivizing what we know to be an effective model of workforce development.”



Statements of Support



Rep. Paul McMurtry, Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, Chair:



“Registered apprenticeship connects workers with good-paying careers while helping employers build the skilled workforce they need. Lowering fees and expanding the apprenticeship tax credit to additional occupations will make it easier for businesses to invest in talent and keep the Commonwealth competitive.”



Rick Carter, Training Director, Plumbers Local 12 Education Fund Boston:



“The Healey-Driscoll Administration has once again put aging apprenticeships at the forefront of their policy making. The reduction of fees for sponsors and the expansion of the tax credits for programs is a welcome change. The Registered Apprenticeship model has been the pathway for many residents of the commonwealth to the middle class.” 



Stephanie Swanson, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs, AIM:



"Lowering program fees for apprenticeships and expanding eligibility will build the Massachusetts work force and set more people on the road to good-paying careers.  These changes are welcomed by employers, especially small and medium-sized companies struggling to find workers to support their success."