U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced grant awards today to 32 industry-led workforce training partnerships across the country as part of the $500 million Good Jobs Challenge funded by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan.

The 32 winning projects were selected from a competitive pool of 509 applicants with the goal of solving local talent needs and increasing the supply of trained workers to secure jobs in fifteen key industries “that are essential to the U.S. supply chains, global competitiveness, and regional development,” according to a U.S. Department of Education press release. Wyoming, however, was not included.

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“A trained workforce is essential to ensuring that the United States can compete and succeed in the 21st century,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Thanks to funding from the American Rescue Plan, the Commerce Department is able to make once-in-a-generation investments in industry-driven, and locally-led workforce systems that will create high-quality jobs and accelerate regional economic growth, especially for underserved communities.”

The funded projects include a broad range of sectors–including agriculture and food production, energy and resilience, healthcare manufacturing and information technology–with the intention of initiating the design, development, implementation, and expansion of training programs tailored specifically to each community.

“Workforce development is a critical pillar to supporting innovative and competitive economic development, and the Good Jobs Challenge is working hand-in-hand with diverse partners and local leaders to strengthen local economic recovery and resiliency,” said Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves. “The Good Jobs Challenge prioritizes employer leadership and hiring commitments, which we know are critical to expanding career opportunities for more Americans to reach their full potential and secure good jobs, leading to a stronger regional and national economy.”

“By integrating industry in every step of the talent development process, these awardees are focused on supporting underserved communities in diverse areas across the country, helping to remove systemic barriers for workers and connecting employers with the trained workforce they need to grow and sustain competitive local economies,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Castillo.

The project summaries are listed below:

Alaska Primary Care Association (Alaska) Grant: $9.7 million Industry: Healthcare
Charleston Chamber Foundation (South Carolina) Grant: $8.4 million Industry: Healthcare
Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership (Illinois) Grant: $18.5 million Industry: Healthcare; Manufacturing; Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics; Information Technology
City of Birmingham (Alabama) Grant: $10.8 million Industry: Healthcare
City of New York Human Resources Administration (New York) Grant: $18.6 million Industry: Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics; Building and Construction
City of Springfield (Missouri) Grant: $17.5 million Industry: Healthcare; Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics; Education
Dallas College (Texas) Grant: $8.8 million Industry: Bio-medical
Economic Development and Industrial Corporation of Boston (Massachusetts) Grant: $23 million Industry: Healthcare; Energy and Resilience; Childcare
Florida Gulf Coast University Board of Trustees (Florida) Grant: $22.9 million Industry: Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics; Healthcare; Manufacturing; Education
Foundation for California Community Colleges (California) Grant: $21.5 million Industry: Forestry and Fire Safety
Fresno County Economic Development Corporation (California) Grant: $23 million Industry: Professional and Financial Services; Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics; Manufacturing; Building and Construction
Hampton Roads Workforce Council (Virginia & North Carolina) Grant: $11 million Industry: Water and Blue Economy; Energy and Resilience
Illinois Central College (Illinois) Grant: $14.6 million Industry: Information Technology
Lakota Funds (South Dakota) Grant: $5 million Industry: Building and Construction
Maryland Department of Labor (Maryland) Grant: $22.9 million Industry: Energy and Resilience
Miami Dade College (Florida) Grant: $10 million Industry: Information Technology
Mid-South Center for Occupational Innovation (Arkansas, Mississippi, & West Tennessee) Grant: $21.5 million Industry: Building and Construction; Manufacturing; Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics
Nevadaworks (Nevada) Grant: $14.9 million Industry: Healthcare; Information Technology; Manufacturing; Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (North Carolina) Grant: $23.7 million Industry: Energy and Resilience
North Central New Mexico Economic Development District (New Mexico) Grant: $6.4 million Industry: Healthcare; Building and Construction
Office of Workforce Strategy (Connecticut) Grant: $23.9 million Industry: Manufacturing; Healthcare; Information Technology, Bio-medical
Ohio Manufacturers’ Association Educational and Industrial Development Institute

(Ohio) Grant: $23.5 million Industry: Manufacturing
Persevere (Tennessee) Grant: $15.4 million Industry: Information Technology
Philadelphia Works, Inc (Pennsylvania) Grant: $22.8 million Industry: Healthcare; Building and Construction; Energy and Resilience
Southwestern Oregon Workforce Investment Board (Oregon) Grant: $3.4 million Industry: Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics
The Chamber Foundation (North Dakota & Minnesota) Grant: $9.6 million Industry: Agriculture and Food Production; Information Technology; Manufacturing
UnidosUS (Puerto Rico & Colorado) Grant: $11.4 million Industry: Aerospace & Defense; Building and Construction; Financial and Professional Services
United Way of Central Iowa (Iowa) Grant: $1.8 million Industry: Healthcare
University of Hawaii (Hawaii) Grant: $16.4 million Industry: Healthcare; Information Technology; Energy and Resilience; Film, Arts, & Media
Washington Student Achievement Council (Washington) Grant: $23.5 million Industry: Healthcare; Information Technology; Financial and Professional Services; Energy and Resilience; Manufacturing; Building and Construction
Workforce Solutions Rural Capital (Texas) Grant: $12.1 million Industry: Building and Construction; Information Technology; Healthcare
WTIA Workforce Institute (Nationwide WA; MO; AL; VA; TX; NV; PA; NJ; NC; LA; OH) Grant: $23.5 million Industry: System Development

 

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