NEW ORLEANS – Workforce Alliance Inc. of West Palm Beach, Fla., today received the U.S. Department of Labor’s Recognition of Excellence Award in the “educating America’s workforce to serve emerging industries” category at Workforce Innovations 2008 in New Orleans. Throughout this week, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Brent R. Orrell is presenting the fifth annual Recognition of Excellence Awards, which honor workforce investment system programs from around the country that have achieved outstanding success.

“Workforce Alliance has taken the initiative in equipping workers with the specialized skills they need to pursue careers in biotechnology,” said Orrell. “Workforce Alliance’s accomplishments are instructive for others preparing workers in biotech and other emerging fields.”

Workforce Alliance Inc., regional educators and the workforce investment system formed the Workforce Alliance Biotechnology Training Program to link employers with partners in education and economic development. The alliance created a career ladder and one-year certificate-granting program in biotechnology. Through this program, participants learn the skills they need to enter careers in the growing biotech industry along Florida’s Gold Coast.

To date, 61 participants have completed training with 56 earning certificates and six moving on to earn advanced certificates. Three participants have gone on to earn master’s degrees.

The Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration presents Recognition of Excellence honors in five categories. The “educating America’s workforce to serve emerging industries” category recognizes innovative and valuable approaches to train workers to compete in environments that demand high levels of education and proficiency.

Workforce Innovations offers a yearly opportunity for state and local government representatives, private sector workforce and economic development officials, and educators to collaborate on issues affecting the U.S. workforce.