The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded $98,193 to Rhode Island to help unemployed workers participate in apprenticeship programs approved by the state’s Department of Labor and Training.

The programs are conducted by individual employers, labor groups, or industry associations, and operate on an “earn while you learn” basis, in which participants receive a combination of classroom instruction and on-the-job training in a skilled occupation.

Laura Hart, spokeswoman for the Department of Labor and Training, said that in 2008, 1,700 Rhode Islanders participated in 650 apprenticeships.

Although the apprenticeship programs in Rhode Island are not restricted to unemployed workers, the purpose of the federal grant is to better connect workers who have lost jobs to appropriate apprenticeships.

Hart said the state would also like to expand the state’s apprentice programs to include more high-growth occupations in green technology, biotech, and health care.

For more information about apprenticeship programs in the state, call (401) 462-8536.

asmith@projo.com