New BUILDS Act Funds $500M Annually for Infrastructure Job Training, Subsidizing Wages for Up to Six Months

The Building US Infrastructure by Leveraging Demands for Skills Act, or the BUILDS Act, is essentially a massive federal investment in targeted job training for critical sectors like energy, construction, transportation, and IT. The bill authorizes $500 million annually starting in 2026 to fund competitive grants for industry partnerships. The goal is to get businesses, unions, and educators working together to create training programs and apprenticeships that directly address skill shortages and help workers, especially those facing employment barriers, move into high-demand infrastructure jobs.

The Industry Huddle: Who Gets the Money and Why

This isn't just a general workforce grant. The money goes to “eligible partnerships”—groups of businesses, labor organizations, and education providers—that focus on a specific “Targeted infrastructure industry” (SEC. 3). Think of it as pooling resources to create economies of scale in training (SEC. 5(d)(3)). Instead of every construction company running its own small training program, they team up with the local community college and the union to design one program that meets everyone’s needs. Partnerships can apply for up to $2.5 million for an initial grant and $1.5 million for renewals, with grants lasting up to three years (SEC. 4).

The application process is rigorous, requiring partners to detail not only the specific infrastructure projects they anticipate working on but also the nationally recognized credentials they plan to use to measure success (SEC. 5). This is a way to ensure that the training leads to actual, measurable skills that employers trust. The Secretary of Labor has the final say on approving credentials if postsecondary ones aren’t available, which gives the Department significant power in setting industry standards (SEC. 5).

Real-World Impact: The Subsidized Paycheck

One of the most significant parts of the BUILDS Act is how it tackles the entry barrier for new workers, particularly those who might struggle to afford training or a low starting wage. The bill funds comprehensive support services, including skills assessments, basic education, tools, and crucial wrap-around help like childcare and transportation (SEC. 6). If you’re a single parent trying to switch careers into, say, wind turbine maintenance, this support is the difference between making it work and staying stuck.

Even more compelling: the grant funds can cover the wages and benefits for participants in a work-based learning program for up to six months, during which the eligible partnership acts as the official employer of record (SEC. 6). This is huge. It means an employer can test out a new worker for half a year with the government footing the bill, minimizing their risk while ensuring the worker gets paid experience and training. For the worker, this provides a stable income while they build skills, with the expectation that the job continues afterward.

Who Benefits, Who Pays, and What’s the Catch?

The primary beneficiaries are obviously the infrastructure industries, who get a pipeline of skilled, pre-vetted workers, and the workers themselves, who receive high-quality training and financial support. The bill specifically targets recruitment of individuals facing employment barriers—like those receiving WIOA services, SNAP, or TANF—ensuring that the training opportunities reach those who need them most (SEC. 6).

However, this is a major financial commitment, authorizing $500 million annually from 2026 through 2030 (SEC. 8). Taxpayers are footing the bill for this large-scale workforce development effort. Also, if you’re a business outside of the targeted sectors—say, retail or hospitality—you won't see a dime of this grant money, as the focus is strictly on infrastructure.

Finally, the success of the BUILDS Act hinges entirely on the quality of the industry partnerships. The bill mandates detailed reporting, requiring partnerships to track participant performance based on WIOA metrics and break down results by demographics like race, sex, and age (SEC. 6). This level of accountability is good, but it means that if a partnership isn't genuinely committed to collaboration and measurable results, they might just be burning through federal dollars without creating lasting career pathways.