News Release
ETA News Release: [Dec. 31, 2003]
Contact Name: Lorette Post
Phone Number: (202) 693-3984
Labor Department Awards $3 Million To Connecticut Business and Industry Association For High-Tech Training
HARTFORD, Conn. -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration has awarded $3 million to the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) to train 300 incumbent and unemployed workers in bioscience, bio-medical and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
"This Administration is committed to helping workers get the training they need to get good paying jobs," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. "This $3 million grant will be used to upgrade the skills of workers."
Hartford-based CBIA will use the Labor Department grant to provide bachelors and masters degrees, professional certificates, and laboratory research experience for prospective and incumbent workers. Advanced doctorate level coursework will also be available.
The training program will meet the needs of Connecticut employers and their employees in Connecticut, as well as facilities in California, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio and Virginia. Targeted participants include chemists, biochemists, research laboratory assistants/scientists, science majors at a number of Connecticut higher education institutions, design engineers and employees of pharmaceutical and biomedical manufacturing companies.
Matching cash and in-kind contributions from business and educational partners will total $3.9 million.
"This grant illustrates the kind of workforce development partnerships we are encouraging to address the challenges facing 21st century businesses," said Emily Stover DeRocco, assistant secretary of labor for employment and training. "When businesses identify the skills their workforce needs, educators and our public workforce system can be key players in preparing workers for the highly skilled jobs in high-demand fields."
This grant and others totaling approximately $49 million were awarded competitively to business-led partnerships nationwide to train workers for high-skill, high-tech occupations.
For additional information about the grant, please contact Nancy Andrews at the CBIA at (860) 244-1957.
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