ETA New Releases, Employment & Training Administration (ETA)

ETA News Release: [July 14, 2005]
Contact Name: David James or Mike Volpe
Phone Number: 202-693-4676/693-3984

Labor Department Presents Second Recognition of Excellence Honors

Recipients Showcased at Workforce Innovations 2005

PHILADELPHIA - Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco presented the second annual Recognition of Excellence (ROE) honors in Philadelphia this week at Workforce Innovations 2005. These honors recognize job training programs from around the nation that have achieved outstanding success. Five first-place honorees - from Farmington, N.M.; Alameda and San Mateo counties, Calif.; West Palm Beach, Fla.; Rowan and Cabarrus counties, N.C.; Atlantic/Cape May counties, N.J. -- were selected from more than 100 applicant organizations nationwide.

"This year's Recognition of Excellence honorees exemplify the workforce system's capacity to develop new approaches for equipping workers with the skills necessary to compete in the global economy," said DeRocco. "These projects and the people behind them offer examples of success that colleagues in education and job training can replicate to meet workforce needs throughout the country."

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) presents ROE honors in five categories. The "Educating America's 21st Century Workforce" category recognizes innovative and effective strategies to prepare workers for the challenges that require higher skills and more education.

Honorees in the "Building an Industry/Business Driven Workforce Investment System" category respond to the needs of business, while preparing a skilled workforce for continued job growth.

The "e3 Partnerships" category recognizes the value of projects that demonstrate sustained partnerships among employers, educators and economic development leaders, a practice ETA calls the "Power of e3."

"Recognizing the Demographics of the Workforce," the fourth category, highlights organizations that effectively address the critical need to find ways to integrate every available worker into the labor force. Honorees in this category provide effective services to special populations, including individuals with disabilities, those with limited English proficiency, homeless individuals and migrant farm workers.

The final category, "Serving Out-of-School Youth," recognizes innovative techniques and collaboration with business, industry and essential partners in workforce and economic development to solve the education, training and hiring challenges of serving out-of-school young adults.

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NOTE: A complete list of honorees and honorable mentions is attached.

ETA Recognition of Excellence Honorees and Honorable Mentions

CATEGORY 1: Education America's 21st Century Workforce This category recognizes innovative and effective strategies to prepare workers for the challenges that require higher skills and more education.

1st Place Honoree: San Juan College for Regional Energy Training Center - Farmington, NM
Honorable Mention: Forsyth Tech Community College for Textiles to Technology: Developing a Biotechnology Workforce for the Western Piedmont - Winston-Salem, NC
Honorable Mention: Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership for Advanced Manufacturing Training in Lean Manufacturing - Beaverton, Ore.

CATEGORY 2: Building an Industry/Business Driven Workforce Investment System The honorees in this category respond to the needs of business, while preparing a skilled workforce for continued job growth.

1st Place Honoree: Alameda County Workforce Investment Board for Bay Area Biotech Consortium, Career Path Project - Alameda and San Mateo Counties, Calif.
Honorable Mention: Workforce Alliance for High-Growth Education and Learning Tracks in Healthcare (H.E.A.L.T.H.) Careers - South Central, Conn.
Honorable Mention: Central Piedmont Community College for Build Charlotte - Charlotte, NC

CATEGORY 3: e3 Partnerships This category confers value in projects that demonstrate sustained partnerships among employers, educators and economic development leaders - ETA's "Power of e3." 1st Place Winner:

1st Place Honoree: Academy for Practical Nursing and Health Occupations for P.R.O.M.I.S.E. - West Palm Beach, Fla.
Honorable Mention: Community College of Denver for CNA-to-LPN Program - Denver, Colo.
Honorable Mention: Workforce Florida, Inc. for CHOICE - Okaloosa County, Fla.

CATEGORY 4: Recognizing Special Populations in the Workforce This category highlights organizations that effectively address the critical need to find ways to integrate every available worker into the labor force.

" 1st Place Honoree: Rowan-Cabarrus Community College for The Pillowtex Project - Rowan and Cabarrus Counties, NC
Honorable Mention: Texas Workforce Commission for First Generation College Student Pilot Project - State of Texas
Honorable Mention: Utah Department of Workforce Services for Transition to Adult Living - Youth in Foster Care - State of Utah

CATEGORY 5: Serving Out-of-School Youth This category recognizes innovative techniques and collaboration with business, industry and essential partners in workforce and economic development to solve the education, training and hiring challenges of serving out-of-school young adults.

1st Place Honoree: Atlantic/Cape May Workforce Investment Board for Youth Career-Advancement Program-Allied Health - Atlantic/Cape May Counties, NJ
Honorable Mention: Snohomish County Workforce Development Council for Project REACH - Snohomish County, Wash.
Honorable Mention: Cassadaga Job Corps Center for Cassadaga Job Corps-CVS Pharmacy Tech Training Partnership - Cassadaga, NY

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