ETA News Release: [Oct. 20, 2004]
Contact Name: Lorette Post or Ed Frank
Phone Number: 202-693-3984 or 202-693-4676
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao Announces $3 Million Grant to Train Delaware Valley Workers for Advanced Manufacturing Careers
Grant Is Part of $24.2 Million for Advanced Manufacturing Industry Training
MEDIA, Pa. -- U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today announced a $3 million grant to the Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center (DVIRC) to train workers for careers in advanced manufacturing. The grant is part of a $24.2 million advanced manufacturing workforce development effort under the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative. Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco traveled to Media today to officially present the grant.
"Manufacturing is being transformed by the increasing use of advanced technologies," said Secretary Elaine L. Chao. "To succeed in the worldwide economy, our workers must be skilled in new manufacturing technologies. That is why we are dedicating $24.2 million to help train workers for this evolving industry."
Through partnerships with industry, education and the public workforce system, DVIRC will use the grant to recruit students for new technical education programs leading to advanced manufacturing careers. The project will train 455 entry-level and 95 incumbent workers and will serve over 300 companies. Career awareness and development programs will also be provided for 2,000 individuals.
The grantee is committed to establishing a Regional Industrial Leadership Coalition to provide public policy leadership, ongoing outreach to the manufacturing community, and recruitment of industry representatives for curriculum development teams, and to serve as a broker between workforce development and education providers.
"Manufacturing remains one of our country's most powerful engines of economic growth," said DeRocco. "This grant will develop much-needed curricula and provide new technical education programs to create a pipeline of workers for exciting careers in advanced manufacturing."
Key partners in this project include regional advanced manufacturing companies, local workforce investment boards, local educational institutions, the National Association of Manufacturers Workforce Council, the Workforce Alliance, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Through the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative, DeRocco has been conducting executive forums with leaders of expanding industries to identify critical workforce gaps and issues. Solutions, like today's grant, are then created in cooperation with employers, educational institutions and the public workforce system.
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