CHICAGO — The U.S. Department of Labor announced a $1.35 million grant Wednesday aimed at supporting tradeswomen in Illinois.

Gov. JB Pritzker joined U.S. Labor Department Acting Secretary Julie Su to make the announcement. They were are also joined by Illinois Department of Labor Director Jane Flanagan and Chicago Women in Trades’ (CWIT) Board Chair Japlan Allen.

The money is being given to the Illinois Department of Labor to train and support the entry of more women into infrastructure and construction careers.

The CWIT is one of the organizations who will benefit from the funding. They will be able to provide guidance on program design and best practices to construction companies, unions, and other stakeholders to promote workforce equity, according to a press release from the governor’s office.

The grant was made possible through the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Bill passed in Nov. 2021.