- DOL provides $8M to help revamp shipbuilding industry
- ED expands role of ombudsman
- Will new Workforce Pell carry Trump’s name?
- Enrollment roll
DOL provides $8M to help revamp shipbuilding industry
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced an international shipbuilding fellowship and training development program to rejuvenate the U.S. shipbuilding industry.
The four-year project will connect U.S. technical education centers and community colleges with similar training programs in several shipbuilding-leading countries, including Canada, South Korea and Japan. Federal officials say the goal is to maintain strong global supply chains and to compete with China, which is overwhelmingly the world’s largest shipbuilding nation.
DOL noted there is a shortage of skilled workers in the shipbuilding sector in priority trades due to an aging workforce and a decline of entry-level workers. Priority trades for the project include boilermakers, industrial electricians, steel workers, steamfitters, shipwrights and welders.
“Working closely with our allies will advance the Department of Labor’s mission to create effective shipbuilding apprenticeship programs right here in the United States,” said Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer. “We are committed to helping President Trump restore maritime dominance by preparing American workers for success, which will lead to more mortgage-paying jobs and enhance national security.”
The department’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs will provide up to $8 million for projects. The deadline for applications is September 26.
The funding will also establish a specialized, internationally recognized trade curriculum that will enable more advanced training in the U.S., DOL said.
ED expands role of ombudsman
The U.S. Education Department announced Friday that it will expand the role of its ombudsman to include outreach efforts to better educate families about the benefits, responsibilities and risks of federal student loan borrowing.
ED’s Office of the Ombudsman typically focuses on resolving borrower complaints, but with loan defaults and delinquencies remaining high, the department has added the new activities. As of June, more than 6 million (34%) of borrowers were delinquent on their federal student loans, including 4 million in late-stage delinquency and at risk of defaulting in the next six months, according to the department. Approximately 5.3 million borrowers are in default.
The renamed Office of Consumer Education and Ombudsman also will develop a “common manual” for servicing and collection practices and policies under the Federal Direct Loan Program. The manual will create federal guidelines and guardrails for vendor operations, ensuring consistent borrower communications, customer service and enforcement actions, according to ED, which plans to complete the manual by July 1, 2026.
“This change marks a shift toward earlier and more comprehensive engagement with families, ensuring they understand both the opportunities and potential risks of taking on federal student debt before they borrow,” said Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent. “By providing clearer guidance and support at the front end of the college journey, we believe students will make more informed decisions that lead to lower debt burdens, stronger repayment outcomes, and greater satisfaction with their educational investment.”
Will new Workforce Pell carry Trump’s name?
Included in the House GOP funding bill for federal education and job training programs is a line to name the recently created Workforce Pell grants after President Donald Trump.
The fiscal year 2026 spending measure, which the House Appropriations Committee plans to markup on Tuesday, would dub the new grants as Trump grants “to reflect the President’s commitment to growing the American workforce and expanding opportunities for American workers,” according to a committee summary of the legislation. The House Republican funding bill includes cuts of $12.1 billion (15%) to the Education Department and $4 billion (30%) for the Department of Labor.
The new Workforce Pell program, which would extend Pell Grant eligibility to qualifying short-term education training programs, was included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act legislation signed into law in July.
The Pell program, considered a cornerstone of the federal student aid system, carries the name of the late Claiborne Pell, a Democrat from Rhode Island who championed the grants to help low- and moderate-income families go to college. The Basic Educational Opportunity Grant program started in the 1972-73 academic year and was renamed in 1980 for Pell.
Enrollment roll
Another strong fall for enrollments at community colleges appears to be the case as more public two-year colleges report their fall numbers. Some of the most recent figures include:
- New York’s Hudson Valley Community College reports a 4% increase in overall enrollment, including a 7.2% boost in new students, 4.5% increase for returning students and an 8.6% jump for non-degree students.
- In South Carolina, Horry-Georgetown Technical College is seeing a 16% increase over last year, surpassing 9,200 students, the highest enrollment in its nearly 60-year history.
- Alamo Colleges in Texas is also seeing record enrollments, with a 12.1% increase, to 87,757 learners across its five colleges. Dual credit/early college high school enrollment surged to 21,851 students, a 31% increase over last year, comprising more than a quarter of total enrollment.
