MCALLEN, Texas (KVEO) — There are millions of unemployed Americans nationwide and a large portion are young adults.

A local congressman is making sure opportunities are provided to them by not only allowing them to apply for money but also for career and experience as well through an apprenticeship program.

Last week alone, 167,000 thousand people filed for unemployment, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Hundreds of them in the Rio Grande Valley.

“I had applied for unemployment in March,” said Amanda Alvarado from Rio Grande City. “But they gave me the response that they denied it, so I made an appeal but I haven’t heard from them since.”

Alvarado is just one of millions who was let go due to the economic fallout of the pandemic.

“I mean everyone is struggling right now, it’s hard, right now I’m doing little side jobs to get some sort of income,” said Alvarado.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“You’re getting a paycheck on your first day of work, you’re guaranteed to increase over time skills, this is a great opportunity for people not working at this time or have reduced time and are looking for something different,” said Cisco Gomez, spokesman for Texas Workforce Commission.

 $9,450,000 in federal funding is going to the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) that will, in turn, be divided into apprenticeships as part of the Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) 

“It can be used by employers to be hired as young students to be apprentices and this program is so important because it will give real-life opportunities to young folks to go into a particular field, so it’s good for the employer, it’s good for the young person,” said Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28).

Congressman Cuellar pushed for the funding and says the money will add more than 4,000 apprenticeships, some of those in the Rio Grande Valley.

“Currently there are 19,000 apprentices in Texas and this grant will increase that number by 4,821,” said Gomez, “The careers include such as a plumber, carpenter, maintenance, mechanic, non-traditional advanced manufacturing, health care.”

Cuellar says he’s also working on getting money to forgive student loans because of the pandemic.

“There are moneys were bumping it, when we do the HEROES act too we are hoping that student loans will be paid off, I’m hoping we can do a pay off of 10,000 of a student loan,” said Cuellar.

All you need is a high school diploma or the equivalent.

If you don’t qualify for the registered apprenticeship program, there are other options for you such as the  Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program. 

For more information, you can visit here or contact your local Texas Workforce Solutions office.