VP Biden announces recipients of $450M of job-driven training grants
$450M in grants to nearly 270 community colleges partnering with more than 400 employers nationally
WASHINGTON — Training America’s workers with the skills they need for a good job can help middle class families and help American businesses grow our economy. While America’s businesses have created 10 million jobs over the past 54 months, the longest streak of uninterrupted job growth in our country’s history, we need to do more to train Americans with the skills they need, and connect them with businesses that are looking for skilled workers.
While America’s businesses have created 10 million jobs over the past 54 months, the longest streak of uninterrupted job growth in our country’s history, we need to do more to train Americans with the skills they need, and connect them with businesses that are looking for skilled workers.
Today, as part of this effort, Vice President Biden, Secretary Thomas E. Perez, and Secretary Arne Duncan are announcing the winners of $450 million in job-driven training grants going to nearly 270 community colleges across the country. The funding is part of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) competitive grant program, which is co-administered by the Department of Labor and Department of Education.
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2014 TAACCCT Grants by State
Note: Project descriptions are taken from language provided by grantees as part of their abstracts.
Minnesota State Community and Technical College
Total Award Amount: $2,473,227
Industry focus: Construction and Utilities
Minnesota State Community and Technical College’s CU Succeed program will serve 450 TAA-eligible and similar adults over three years in the West Central Minnesota Workforce Service Area. The program will provide training and certifications to individuals to obtain in-demand careers in the construction and utilities industries through the use of new mobile training units that travel to multiple sites, online workplace readiness and soft skills instruction and work-based training. Articulation agreements with Minnesota State University Moorhead will provide participants with Bachelor of Science degree options.
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The grants will provide community colleges and other eligible institutions of higher education with funds to partner with employers to expand and improve their ability to deliver education and career training programs that will help job seekers get the skills they need for in-demand jobs in industries like information technology, health care, energy, and advanced manufacturing.
Building on the strategies advanced in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, these types of job-driven training partnerships were also identified in the Vice President’s job-driven training report released in July as an important way to successfully prepare and place workers in jobs that pay a middle class wage.