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Michigan $5.8 Training Grants

May 7th, 2008 Posted by Amelia

Employers in Michigan will soon have an infusion of highly-skilled workers thanks to more than $5.8 million in worker training grants to 2 community colleges and a city development agency.

The Detroit Workforce Development Department will use a grant of $1,850,000 to train workers in the hospitality and retail industries.

A grant of $2 million goes to the St. Clair County Community College to train workers in transportation, distribution and logistics. The school is located in Port Huron, a small city on the US/Canada border that features the Blue Water Bridge.

An Auburn Hills community college is the third winner. Workers for the nanotechnology industry will train at Oakland Community College under a $1,960,497 grant. The school in southeast Michigan is best known for its participation in the Michigan No Worker Left Behind program of job training for the unemployed.

The President’s Community Based Job Training Grants Initiative awards grants to community colleges and training facilities to help workers compete for jobs in high-growth industries. The program was established in 2005 and awarded grants to 72 institutions. In 2006, the second round awarded 70 grants.

In 2008, according to a recent announcement by the U. S. Department of Labor , 69 community colleges across America were granted $125 million under this program.

These funds will assist workers in 36 states, including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao said, “Community colleges are in a unique position to prepare local workers for careers in high-growth industries. The $125 million awarded today will expand enrollment in education and training programs and provide more workers with the skills they need to succeed.”

The focus of the Community-Based Job Training Grants is to provide community colleges with programs to train people in areas where industries need workers with a particular set of skills. For example, a grant for training in the energy industry may be awarded to a community college in New Mexico near a cluster of nuclear power plants that require more skilled workers.

As a result of factors such as globalization, technology, innovation and an aging workforce, many industries are in dire need of skilled employees. Industries across the county, including advanced manufacturing and construction are seeking skilled employees. Regional industries, too, are in need of qualified workers. For example, Crescent City, California’s hospitality industry needs skilled workers.