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ETA News Release: [06/02/2004]
Contact Name: Ed
Frank
Phone Number: (202) 693-4676
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine
L. Chao Announces Launch of $17.2 Million National Biotechnology Training
Initiative
First Grant for $2.4 Million Awarded to Pittsburgh
Organization
PITTSBURGH—U.S.
Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today announced the launch of a $17.2 million
national Biotechnology Worker Training Initiative as part of the
President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative. The grants will
fund solutions to address the skills needs and workforce challenges facing the
industry. Today’s announcement was made at an event highlighting a $2.4
million award to Pennsylvania-based Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse.
“This $17.2 million in training funds will recruit and train
workers for jobs in the biotechnology field, which is expected to be one of the
fastest growing sectors by 2012,” said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao.
“The grant awarded today to Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse is the
first in a series of grants designed to increase awareness about promising
biotechnology-related careers, address the need for skilled workers in the
industry and provide good jobs for workers.”
The Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse (PLSG) grant project will try to
match trained workers with local biotechnology companies. PLSG will develop
curriculum and training that will combine industry skills sets and academic
disciplines to shape workers with a “hybrid” of desired capabilities.
The project also is designed to create and retain a pipeline of qualified
workers who can advance in the biotechnology industry. Key partners in the
project include Renal Solutions Inc. of Pittsburgh, Pa., the Community College
of Allegheny County, the Pittsburgh Technology Council, the Allegheny County
Workforce Investment Board and the Allegheny County Job Link.
“Biotechnology industry revenues have more than quadrupled from $8
billion in 1992 to $33.6 billion in 2002, and the industry is expected to
employ nearly 815,000 workers by 2007,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor
for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco. “This initiative will
increase worker skills across a range of disciplines and provide the chance to
find good jobs in the industry with the opportunity for advancement as the
biotechnology field continues to grow.”
The High Growth Job Training Initiative is a strategic effort to
better prepare workers to take advantage of new job opportunities in high
growth sectors of the American economy. Through executive forums with leaders
of expanding industries, critical workforce gaps and issues are identified.
Solutions, like today's grant, are then created in cooperation with employers,
educational institutions and the public workforce system.
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