US Labor Department awards more than $159 million for technical skills training to help American workers fill jobs in high-growth fields
Grants target industries in 20 states and DC that rely on H-1B visa program for skilled workers
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Labor today announced $159,266,650 in grants to 36 public-private partnerships serving 20 states and the District of Columbia through the first round of funding under the H-1B Technical Skills Training Grant Competition. The grants will provide education, training and job placement assistance related to high-growth fields in which employers are currently using the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program to hire foreign workers, such as advanced manufacturing, energy, health care and information technology.
"These grants are an important part of the administration's efforts to help ensure that our workers have the chance to succeed in new and emerging fields, and that growing businesses have access to the skilled American workforce they need," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.
Secretary Solis announced the grant awards during a press conference at The Catholic University of America in Washington, which received nearly $4.2 million to support training in health care information technology.
More than $85 million of the total announced today will be used to provide training to individuals who have been unemployed for longer than six months. In addition, more than $70 million will be used to provide on-the-job training, which allows participants to learn new skills while earning a regular paycheck. All of the grantees are required – as demonstrated on their applications – to partner with at least one area employer that will provide assistance in one of the following areas: defining program goals and activities, identifying necessary skills and competencies, providing resources to support education and training, or helping design the program.
These grants are funded through fees paid by employers to bring foreign workers into the United States under the H-1B program. The grants are intended to raise the technical skill levels of American workers and, over time, help businesses reduce their need to use the H-1B program.
The original solicitation for grant applications announced funding of $240 million to be awarded through two rounds of funding. Because additional H-1B visa fees have been collected, about $100 million more than anticipated for on-the-job training will be available for the second round. Interested parties are encouraged to visit http://www.grants.gov to check eligibility requirements and apply. The competition will close on Nov. 17.
Editor's note: A complete list of grantees, including their locations, award amounts and targeted industries, follows this news release.
Grantee |
State |
Amount |
Targeted Industries and Occupations |
|
Pima County |
Arizona |
$1,318,326 |
Aerospace/defense and other high-tech industries |
|
Able-Disabled Advocacy Inc.* |
California |
$3,047,634 |
Computer software and medical services (health care) |
|
California Manufacturers & Technology Association |
California |
$5,000,000 |
Advanced manufacturing and information technology |
|
City of Santa Ana^ |
California |
$4,997,479 |
Engineering |
|
Managed Career Solutions Inc.*^ |
California |
$5,000,000 |
Health care and social assistance |
|
Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network* |
California |
$2,816,309 |
Health care |
|
Colorado Department of Labor and Employment* |
Colorado |
$5,000,000 |
Information technology; science, technology, engineering and math; advanced manufacturing |
|
Capital Workforce Partners*^ |
Connecticut |
$4,986,817 |
Health care and health information technology |
|
The WorkPlace Inc. |
Connecticut |
$4,936,845 |
Health care |
|
The Catholic University of America |
District of Columbia |
$4,175,500 |
Health care information technology |
|
Alachua Bradford Regional Workforce Board*^ |
Florida |
$4,947,404 |
Health care, biomanufacturing |
|
Florida Manufacturing Extension Partnership*^ |
Florida |
$4,941,552 |
Manufacturing |
|
WorkNet Pinellas Inc.* |
Florida |
$4,808,828 |
Allied health and nursing |
|
Atlanta Technical College^ |
Georgia |
$4,840,025 |
Bioscience and biotechnology |
|
Urban League of Greater Atlanta*^ |
Georgia |
$4,821,715 |
Information technology |
|
Johnson County Community College |
Kansas |
$2,897,418 |
Health information technology |
|
Kansas Department of Commerce^ |
Kansas |
$4,998,066 |
Engineering |
|
The Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas Inc.* |
Kansas |
$5,000,000 |
Aerospace products and parts manufacturing |
|
Gateway Community and Technical College |
Kentucky |
$4,968,708 |
Information technology, instructional design technology |
|
Coastal Counties Workforce Inc*^ |
Maine |
$4,999,858 |
Advanced manufacturing and information technology |
|
Capital Area MichiganWorks!* |
Michigan |
$4,437,841 |
Information technology |
|
American Indian Opportunities Industrialization Center* |
Minnesota |
$5,000,000 |
Health care and information technology |
|
Manchester Community College* |
New Hampshire |
$4,999,426 |
Health care and health information technology |
|
New York State Department of Labor |
New York |
$5,000,000 |
Advanced manufacturing and health care |
|
Cuyahoga Community College District* |
Ohio |
$4,084,007 |
Information technology and health care |
|
Ohio Department of Job & Family Services^ |
Ohio |
$5,000,000 |
Information technology |
|
Oklahoma Department of Commerce^ |
Oklahoma |
$5,000,000 |
Construction/architecture |
|
Central Pennsylvania Workforce Development Corporation* |
Pennsylvania |
$3,045,533 |
Advanced manufacturing, health care and natural gas |
|
Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Investment Board^ |
Pennsylvania |
$3,302,460 |
Advanced manufacturing |
|
Memphis Bioworks Foundation* |
Tennessee |
$3,743,098 |
Health care and social assistance |
|
Project QUEST Inc.* |
Texas |
$5,000,000 |
Health care |
|
Tarrant County Local Workforce Development Board^ |
Texas |
$5,000,000 |
Information technology, engineering aerospace and defense industry |
|
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston* |
Texas |
$4,947,159 |
Health care: clinical laboratory science, health services |
|
Greater Peninsula Workforce Development Consortium |
Virginia |
$5,000,000 |
Health care |
|
National Institute for Metalworking Skills Inc.^ |
Virginia |
$2,232,492 |
Advanced manufacturing |
|
W-O-W Workforce Development Inc.^ |
Wisconsin |
$4,972,150 |
Advanced manufacturing |
|
* indicates the grant will include activities targeted to help the long-term unemployed
^ indicates the grant will include on-the-job training
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SOURCE U.S. Department of Labor
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