Today, SaverLife announced the launch of a customized version of its award-winning financial wellness app, designed specifically to support skilled trades workers.
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Funded by The BlackRock Foundation as part of its continued commitment to support America’s workforce development through BlackRock Future Builders™, the SaverLife x BlackRock Future Builders app, including SaverLife‘s Financial Navigator, will provide customized tools to help thousands of apprentices manage their debt, build credit, and grow their savings over time with confidence. Designed to address their unique needs, the app is now available to 55,000+ apprentices nationwide through the electrical training ALLIANCE (etA), the national training partnership between the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). The etA is responsible for the standardized apprenticeship curriculum, program tools, and resources that support IBEW-NECA training centers nationwide.
Powered by financial health expertise, behavioral science, real-time data, and AI, SaverLife is designed for working Americans who need trusted, just-in-time financial support. Their free app currently supports 800,000+ Americans across all 50 states, and the majority save more after joining SaverLife. As part of the SaverLife and The BlackRock Foundation partnership, union apprentices in the BlackRock Future Builders programs will be eligible for cash incentives as they progress through the training program and build healthy financial habits.
“As technology reshapes our economy, we have an opportunity to rethink not only how we prepare people for the jobs of the future, but how we help them build lasting financial security through those careers,” said Leigh Phillips, President and CEO of SaverLife. “We’re proud to partner with BlackRock Future Builders to bring personalized, technology-enabled financial guidance into the workforce development experience, supporting IBEW-NECA apprentices with timely guidance, motivation and practical tools to build savings and financial confidence from the start.”
The BlackRock Foundation’s commitment builds on BlackRock’s ongoing work to support America’s workforce and reflects its broader mission to help more people invest better to live better. It follows an initial $100 million philanthropic commitment to grow America’s skilled trades workforce, and the launch of the Alliance for America's Skilled Trades: a coalition focused on expanding pathways into critical industries. As the U.S. continues to invest in its infrastructure growth, these careers allow opportunities for more people to work toward their own financial resilience and security.
“The skilled trades are opening doors to family-supporting careers and greater economic opportunity for millions of Americans,” said John Kelly, Global Head of Corporate Affairs at BlackRock. “At BlackRock, we believe that opportunity should translate into long-term financial security. By bringing innovative financial tools directly into the apprenticeship experience, we can help workers build toward financial success from their first paycheck and throughout their careers.”
New BlackRock Read on Retirement research underscores the demand for these resources among skilled trades workers, with 60% of respondents saying they should be saving more for retirement. The findings highlight a strong appetite for tools like SaverLife that help workers build savings, prepare for unexpected expenses and strengthen their financial resilience over time.
“An IBEW apprenticeship has always been about more than a job. It’s a path to a career with good wages, real benefits, and a secure retirement, said Kenneth W. Cooper, International President of the IBEW. “But earning a good living and building wealth are two different skills. Putting these tools in our apprentices’ hands means the paychecks they work hard for go further, for them and for their families.”
"NECA and the IBEW have spent generations building the best-trained electrical workforce in America, and a workforce is only as strong as the people in it. A strong industry depends not only on technical excellence, but also on the financial strength and stability of the men and women who power it,” said David Long, CEO of NECA. “When apprentices have a handle on their finances, they show up focused, stay in their programs, and become the leaders our contractors will count on for decades. SaverLife and The BlackRock Foundation are helping make that possible, and NECA is grateful for their investment in our workforce and the long-term strength of our industry."
"Preparing the next generation of electricians requires more than technical training," said Todd Stafford, Executive Director of the electrical training ALLIANCE. "Apprentices also need support and resources to help them stay on track and fully realize the opportunities these careers can provide. By integrating personalized financial guidance and savings tools into the apprenticeship experience, The BlackRock Foundation and SaverLife are helping workers build both skills and financial resilience from day one."