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Wisconsin $2 Million Worker Training Grant

May 16th, 2008 Posted by Amelia

A Wisconsin community college is the winner of a highly competitive federal training grant for workers totaling nearly $2 million.

According to the U. S. Department of Labor, 69 institutions in 38 states were awarded $125 million in grants.

Northcentral Technical College was awarded $1,998,522 to implement programs to produce highly skilled workers for nearby employers in the advanced manufacturing industry.

The school is located in Wausau, Wisconsin, a city that has been affected in recent years by mass layoffs and plant closures and more are planned.

These grants are available due to the President’s Community Based Job Training Grants Initiative, which awards money to community colleges and training facilities in areas where industries need skilled workers. The program was established in 2005 and awarded 72 grants. The second round of awards in 2006 gave out 70 grants.

The Community-Based Job Training Grants are aimed at areas where industries need skilled workers. The funds go to community colleges in these areas to help workers of all ages train for these skilled positions. Consider a cluster of nuclear plants in New Mexico. They need workers skilled in the energy field. A grant could be given to a local community college to train workers for those jobs.

Several factors have changed the workforce in the United States over the past few years. An aging workforce, globalization and technical innovations have put nationwide industries such as healthcare, energy and biotechnology in dire need of skilled employees.

Awarding these Community-Based Job Training Grants helps community colleges come to the forefront in training America’s workforce to its full potential. Initiated in 2005, 72 grants were awarded and 70 grants were awarded in the second round of awards in 2006.

The 69 grants awarded for 2008 will provide assistance in 36 states.

The Grants also aim to fortify the part that community colleges play in advancing the potential of America’s workforce. The programs assist workers of all ages to train for jobs in high-growth industries, specifically for high-paying jobs with career advancement.

Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training, Brent R. Orrell said, “Preparing local residents for careers in growing hometown industries is critical to improving the quality of life of thousands of Americans. These programs will provide participants not only with the skills needed to gain employment, but the change to enter into careers that offer opportunities for advancement.”