PRESS RELEASE
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION
| Media Contact: | Kathy Noll | For Immediate Release |
Telephone: | 202-219-6871 | Friday, October 20, 2000 |
PRESIDENT CLINTON ANNOUNCES $54 MILLION IN GRANTS TO TRAIN U.S.
WORKERS FOR HIGH-TECH JOBS OFTEN FILLED BY FOREIGN WORKERS
The U.S. Department of Labor today launched a third round of
demonstration grants to fund high-skill training for American
workers in areas where companies are facing labor shortages.
"I am pleased to announce that the Department of Labor is
investing $54 million to help train American workers for jobs in
information technology and other high-tech industries," said
President Clinton. "This is an essential part of our strategy to
ensure that all Americans have the skills necessary to winhigh-wage jobs in the new economy ."
This round represents the final portion of more than $95
million the Labor Department is investing this year in fees
received through the H1-B visa program that allows companies to
hire temporary foreign workers.
The funds will enable American workers to receive training
in such targeted occupations as computer engineering, internet
technology, web design, client server application development,
data communications and networking, computer support specialties,
software quality assurance analysis, electronics, machinist
skills, accounting, e-commerce, and health care occupations.
"We don't have a worker shortage in this country, but we do
have a skills shortage," Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman
said. "The skills training made possible by these 22 grants will
assist incumbent workers and dislocated workers as well as those
new to the labor force."
Two earlier funding rounds took place in March and July.
The first round funded nine programs, totaling $12.4 million,
while the second round provided $29.1 million for 12 programs.
The H1-B grants build on several Labor Department initiatives
that address high-tech skill shortages, including:
- June 2000: $10.2 million to establish or strengthen regional
partnerships aimed at meeting employers' identified skill
shortages.
- March 2000: $15.2 million for regional skills consortium
building.
- June 1999: $9.57 million to train dislocated workers in
computer and electronics manufacturing, machinery and motor
vehicles, chemicals and petroleum, specialized instruments
and biomedics.
- June 1998: $7.5 million to 11 organizations to train
dislocated workers in information technology skills.
Funding for the grants announced today comes from a portion
of the $500 fee companies now pay for each H-1B non-immigrant
visa for which they apply under 1998's American Competitiveness
and Workforce Improvement Act.
Under legislation (H.R. 5362) signed by President Clinton on
Oct. 17, 2000, employers using the H-1B program will pay a fee of
$1,000 per H-1B visa, generating an additional $101 million in FY
2001 with which the Labor Department will fund projects to train
U.S. workers in high-tech skills.
The National Science Foundation will have an additional $69
million under the new legislation in FY 2001 for scholarships for
low-income college students studying math, engineering and
computer science, and for math, science and technology education
in elementary, middle and high schools.
A list of the grantees is attached.
This information will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 219-5577. TDD
message phone: 1-800-326-2577.
Third Round H1-B Grantees
October 2000
California
Grantee: Napa County
Grant Amount: $2,800,000
California
Grantee: Selaco Workforce Investment Board (Cerritos, Calif.)
Grant Amount: $2,800,000
District of Columbia
Grantee: District of Columbia Workforce Investment Council/Trinity College
Grant Amount: $1,527,954
Illinois
Grantee: City of Peoria
Grant Amount: $1,099,000
Indiana
Grantee: Northeast Indiana Workforce Investment Board
Grant Amount: $1,750,000
Iowa
Grantee: Central Iowa Employment and Training
Grant Amount: $2,157,770
Louisiana
Grantee: City of New Orleans
Grant Amount : $2,708,305
Massachusetts
Grantee: Metro North Regional Employment Board (Malden, Mass.)
Grant Amount: $2,372,522
Missouri
Grantee: Full Employment Council (Kansas City)
Grant Amount: $2,678,147
Missouri
Grantee: St. Louis Workforce Investment Board
Grant Amount: $2,800,000
New Jersey
Grantee: City of Newark Workforce Investment Board
Grant Amount: $2,770,000
New York
Grantee: Buffalo and Erie County Workforce Investment Board
Grant Amount: $2,799,951
New York
Grantee: League/SEIU 1199 Training and Upgrading Fund (New York City)
Grant Amount: $2,751,787
North Carolina
Grantee: City of Greensboro
Grant Amount: $2,721,000
Ohio
Grantee: Cuyahoga County
Grant Amount: $970,000
Oregon
Grantee: Worksystems, Inc. (Portland)
Grant Amount: $2,800,000
Pennsylvania
Grantee: Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board
Grant Amount: $2,797,189
South Dakota
Grantee: South Dakota Department of Labor
Grant Amount: $2,714,720
Tennessee
Grantee: Workforce Essentials, Inc. (Clarksville-Nashville)
Grant Amount: $2,800,000
Texas
Grantee: North Central Texas Council of Governments (Arlington)
Grant Amount: $2,800,000
Vermont
Grantee: State of Vermont
Grant Amount: $2,658,055
Virginia
Grantee: Alexandria/Arlington Workforce Investment Board
Grant Amount: $2,723,600
Total: $54,000,000
