Approximately $240 million in newly launched federal grants have been made available for job training programs, including those in health IT.
The Department of Labor will conduct a webinar Wednesday to share information about grant program. Jane Oates, assistant secretary, Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor, will highlight occupations and sectors and discuss the importance of growing America's skilled workforce.
The grants, which were announced May 2 by U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, are being made available through the H-1B Technical Skills Training Grants program competition. Grants will be awarded to help workers update current job skills or acquire new skills so they can enter career pathways that lead to higher-paying jobs, including positions in information technology. The Department of Labor expects to fund 75-100 grants.
"With the dynamic nature of information technology, it's critical for our industry to make available to the nation's workforce opportunities for ongoing training and certification in the IT skills that will keep us competitive," said Todd Thibodeaux, president and chief executive officer, CompTIA, who participated in Monday's announcement with Solis. "These grants will help many companies – small, medium and large – address their need for skilled technology workers during these challenging economic times," he said.
The Department of Labor intends to award two types of training grants: those that provide on-the-job training to all participants and those that use other training strategies. At least $150 million will be awarded to grantees that provide on-the-job training.
The department also intends to award at least $45 million to applicants proposing to provide training for occupations in the healthcare industry and at least $60 million to applicants that serve long-term unemployed individuals.
According to the grant application said: "The health care industry has grown rapidly and is projected to grow in the future due to advances in medical knowledge and the increased need for medical services required by an aging population. Of the 20 fastest growing occupations, half are within the health care industry. The absence of sufficient numbers of qualified workers in this diverse sector threatens the quality and availability of medical care, and the economic stability and growth potential of local communities in rural, urban, and suburban areas. Moreover, the growing complexity of health care delivery will require workers to continuously upgrade their skills."
The closing dates for the grant applications are June 2, 2011 and November 17, 2011.
Click here to read the full announcement for the grant.
