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ETA News Release: [02/22/2006]
Contact Name: Stephanie Cathcart or David James
Phone Number: 202-693-4676
Release Number: 06-0087-ATL

U.S. Department of Labor Awards Nearly $2.5 Million to Kentucky To Increase Skills of Automotive Manufacturing Workers

Grant Is Part of President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a grant of $2,480,852 to raise the skills of automotive manufacturing workers in Kentucky. The grant is part of almost $14.4 million invested to date in the automotive sector under the President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative, a strategic plan to prepare workers for jobs in vital industries.

“Community colleges and educators taking part in this project are playing a key role in connecting workers to employers offering state-of-the-art training for jobs in automaking,” said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “Workers trained through this grant will gain high-level skills through internships, hands-on experience, and 20 industry-recognized certificate programs that the Learning Center will offer.”

The grant will allow the Kentucky Community and Technical College System to establish an Advanced Manufacturing Learning Center where a wide variety of state-of-the-art training in all facets of automotive manufacturing will be offered to workers in Scott County and the Central Kentucky “auto corridor.”

Instead of a school set-up, the Learning Center will be organized as a factory with training driven by the need to operate, service and maintain the plant’s operation. Students will have work-like experiences in a realistic learning environment that will build high-level, comprehensive skills.

“Kentucky’s automotive plants are on the cutting edge of advanced manufacturing and need highly skilled workers,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco. “This nearly $2.5 million grant under the President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative will provide state-of-the-art training to thousands of Kentuckians, equipping them with advanced manufacturing skills they need to succeed in the modern automotive industry.”

The project will train more than 3,600 individuals over a three-year period, including 750 participants who will earn certificates and 120 secondary-level students participating in dual-credit classes or co-op internships.

The President’s 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 are then created in cooperation with employers, educational institutions and the public workforce system. For more information, please visit www.doleta.gov/BRG/JobTrainInitiative/.