News Release
ETA News Release: [January 6, 2004]
Contact Name: Lorette Post
Phone Number: 202-693-3984
Labor Department Awards $2.9 Million To Bay Area Council For High-Tech Training
SAN FRANCISCO -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration has awarded nearly $3 million to the Bay Area Council to train 759 incumbent information technology (IT) workers.
"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 $2.9 million grant will be used to upgrade the skills of workers."
The Bay Area Council will use the Labor Department grant to upgrade the skills of workers of partner employers through a mix of traditional classroom training and e-learning, both self-taught and instructor-led. Where appropriate, the training will result in recognized certification. Salary increases and improved productivity are expected outcomes.
Training will be conducted at locations across the nation, including California, Arizona, New Jersey, Michigan, Florida and Texas. In addition to the federal funding, over $3.2 million in matching funds and in-kind contributions will be provided from partners, training providers and state government.
"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.
Bay Area Council Contact: Suzanne Wright McPeak, 415-981-6600
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