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ETA News Release: [06/07/2005]
Contact Name: David James or Mike Volpe
Phone Number: 202-693-4676 or x3984
Release Number: 05-1008-ATL

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao Awards $1 Million Grant to Miami-Dade College for Biotechnology Project

Grants Totaling $12 Million Will Fund 12 Health Care and Biotechnology Training Projects Nationwide

MIAMI — U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today announced a grant of $1 million to Miami-Dade College. The grantee is one of 12 winners selected from nearly 230 applicants competing for funding under the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative. More than $12 million is being awarded nationwide to address opportunities to build a world-class health care and biotechnology workforce.

“Health care and biotechnology are two of the fastest growing fields,” Secretary of Labor Chao said. “This $1 million grant to Miami-Dade College, like the other 11 projects funded through this competition, will help workers prepare for careers in professions that are in high demand.”

Miami-Dade College will use its grant to build the Miami area's skilled biotechnology workforce and to develop new industrial pharmaceutical manufacturing curricula. The College will train 800 incumbent and future biotechnology workers with the new curricula to address the biotechnology industry's need for workers with these specialized skill sets.

Key partners in this project include MediVector Inc., Onco-Vector Inc., IVAX Corporation, South Florida Workforce Inc., Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce.

“Regional partnerships among employers, educators, and the workforce investment system will be the key to meeting businesses' demand for workers with the skills to succeed in the competitive, global economy,” Emily Stover DeRocco, assistant secretary of labor for employment and training, said.

Of the 12 grants awarded as a result of a Sept. 17, 2004 Department of Labor Solicitation for Grant Applications, four grants will fund biotechnology industry training, six will fund health care industry training and two will provide cross-industry training. Funds will advance projects in Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, New York, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin.

Through the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative, the Department of Labor has been conducting executive forums with leaders of expanding industries to identify critical workforce gaps and issues. Solutions are competitively chosen and are carried out in cooperation with employers, educational institutions and the public workforce system. For more information, visit www.doleta.gov/BRG/JobTrainInitiative/.

NOTE: Complete list of grantees