labor lawAdivision of labor law center

The U.S. Dept. of Labor recently announced a $3 million grant to train Kentucky workers for careers in the mining industry. The grants will help workers learn skills to secure higher-paying positions in the coal industry. The Kentucky grant was just one in a series awarded across Appalachia. Altogether, the grants total nearly $27 million, including grants of $3.5 million to West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

The grants were awarded under the President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative, which is a strategic plan through the Dept. of Labor to train workers in expanding industries. Some of those industries include advanced manufacturing, healthcare, biotechnology and energy.

“Demand for Kentucky coal is creating job opportunities for Kentuckians who possess the skills the coal industry needs,” said US Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “This $3 million grant under President Bush’s High Growth Job Training Initiative will help Kentucky workers get training for these jobs through the Appalachian community college system and provide a boost to the regional economy as well.”

The grant, awarded to the Pennyrile Area Development District, equips the Kentucky community and technical college system with expedited training so students can use mining simulators and take advantage of distance learning and mobile classrooms. Part of the program includes an outreach effort, to inform students and low-paid workers of the opportunities offered in the mining industry.

According to the Dept. of Labor, the DOL Employment and Training Administration supports comprehensive business, education, and workforce development partnerships to develop innovative approaches that address the workforce needs of business. They also efficiently help workers find good jobs with good wages and promising career pathways in the energy industry.

The Energy industry is growing rapidly, with up to half of the current workers expected to retire within 10 years. While many entry-level positions in the field require only a high school education, higher paying jobs require two to four years of college or more. The Dept. of Labor says that many young workers view jobs in the mining industry as unstable, dirty, dangerous and poorly paid. In fact, there are many highly skilled, high-paying careers in the field.

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