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ETA News Release: [05/27/2008]
Contact Name: Terry Shawn or Jennifer Kaplan
Phone Number: (202) 693-4676 or x5052
Release Number: 08-0707-SEA

U.S. Department of Labor awards $250,000 to help establish innovative talent development strategies in eastern Idaho

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $250,000 Regional Innovation Grant to help eastern Idaho establish talent development strategies that ensure area workers can compete for employment in a variety of careers within the energy, health care and manufacturing industries.

"Eastern Idaho's economic base is transitioning from natural resource to high technology industries that demand new skills from the region's workers," said acting Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Brent R. Orrell. "This $250,000 grant will support the development of strategies that ensure local workforce development and educational institutions are able to prepare workers for careers that are in demand."

The grant, awarded to the Idaho Department of Labor, will help support the goals of the Eastern Idaho Partnership for Regional Transformation. Goals include: coordinating with educational institutions to build pipelines of workers prepared for technology-based careers; fostering and sustaining entrepreneurial activities to support the emergence of small supplier businesses; and facilitating new and innovative forms of cooperation among employers, educational institutions and the public workforce system.

The leadership group for this project includes 22 representatives from elected offices, state and local workforce development agencies, educational institutions, regional economic development organizations, employers, non-profit organizations and venture capital groups. The project will cover the eastern Idaho counties of Lemhi, Custer, Clark, Fremont, Butte, Jefferson, Madison, Teton, Bonneville, Bingham, Power, Bannock, Caribou, Oneida, Franklin and Bear Lake.

Regional Innovation Grants are drawn from National Emergency Grant funds to assist state workforce agencies and local workforce investment boards, as well as their key partners, in the design and development of comprehensive regional plans focused on talent development that is aligned with the demands of the 21st century economy.

National Emergency Grants are part of the secretary of labor's discretionary fund and are awarded based on a state's ability to meet specific guidelines. For more information on National Emergency Grants, visit www.doleta.gov/NEG.