Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | January 26, 2026 | Worcester Business Journal 13 BY ALISON KUZNITZ State House News Service E mployers offering apprentice- ship programs with AI-re- lated credentials can now seek a state tax credit worth up to $4,800 per participant, the Gov. Maura Healey administration announced Jan. 13. Roles like AI data annotators, cloud support specialists, AI security special- ists, machine-learning data curators, and AI consultants now qualify for the Registered Apprenticeship Tax Credit. e state said it expanded the tax credit to include defense manufacturing and other manufacturing jobs. Apprentices receive paid training and classroom instruction and work toward earning industry credentials. e Healey administration announced it cut the annual program fee for registered apprenticeship sponsors from $300 to $250. "By cutting fees and expanding tax credits, we're mak- ing it even easier for employers and labor unions to invest in appren- tice programs," Undersecretary of Labor Josh Cutler said. "Registered apprenticeship is a time-tested model, and these changes help make Massachu- setts a more affordable place to build a skilled workforce." ere are more than 500 active registered apprenticeship programs in the state, with more than 10,000 apprentices. Most of the programs are in construction and building trades, while about a quarter are in the healthcare, education, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing industries. e changes will "set more people on the road to good-paying careers," said Stephanie Swanson, executive vice pres- ident of government affairs at Associat- ed Industries of Massachusetts. "ese changes are welcomed by employers, especially small and me- dium-sized companies struggling to find workers to support their success," Swanson said. Tax credits for AI State expands apprenticeship tax credit to include programs with AI-related credentials ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE F O C U S Gov. Maura Healey Massachusetts State House W

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