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ETA News Release: [06/13/2008]
Contact Name: Jennifer Kaplan or Terry Shawn
Phone Number: (202) 693-5052 or x4676
Release Number: 08-0799-NEW

U.S. Department of Labor awards $250,000 grant to develop economic strategies on Long Island

Project will assist workers in Nassau and Suffolk counties

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $250,000 Regional Innovation Grant to the Town of Hempstead's Department of Commerce to develop a regional innovation system that aligns economic development, education and workforce initiatives to provide better employment opportunities for workers. The region targeted for the project includes New York's Long Island counties of Nassau and Suffolk.

"Local leaders are working together to establish a comprehensive plan for keeping Long Island workers competitive in today's global economy," said acting Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Brent R. Orrell. "This project involves public and private workforce system leadership, and representatives from the business and education sectors to make sure the region has the workforce it needs to attract and keep high-wage, high-growth industries."

Long Island has experienced a series of layoffs within the mortgage and banking industry affecting more than 1,900 area workers. This project will lay the groundwork for identifying potential future dislocations, providing layoff aversion strategies when feasible, and creating a system that cross- references the skills of dislocated workers with the skills demands of regional industries.

This project will be led by the executive committee of the Long Island Business Services Team, which is comprised of representatives from Hempstead and the city of Long Beach, two local workforce investment boards and the New York State Department of Labor.

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 strategic regional plans focused on talent development 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, visit www.doleta.gov/NEG.