MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle today announced Wisconsin has received $38 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds to help dislocated workers, youth and people with disabilities find jobs and join in revitalizing Wisconsin’s economy.
“With these funds, we will expand existing job services and take new steps to help our unemployed workers get back on their feet,” Governor Doyle said. “In these difficult times, the Recovery Act provides hope and opportunity for Wisconsin’s working families hard hit by the prolonged national recession. We can better serve youth, putting them on career paths to jobs of the future.”
The Recovery Act provides $25.7 million in funding under the federal Workforce Investment Act: $9.6 million for dislocated worker training, $4.4 million for adult employment and training services, and $11.7 million for programs serving youth, ages 14 to 24, throughout the year. The Recovery Act also provides $5 million in federal vocational rehabilitation funding for services to people with disabilities. The funds will provide employment and training services to adults, youth and people with disabilities.
In addition, Wisconsin has received $7.29 million in federal Wagner-Peyser funding for re-employment services. Governor Doyle will use these Recovery funds to provide intensive job service efforts to all people receiving unemployment benefits. As part of the intensive effort, individuals are encouraged to register with the state’s new Internet employment site, JobCenterofWisconsin.com, a free, user friendly site accessible at all hours of the day. The site has become popular with job seekers and employers since it was launched last fall. Job seekers can enter resumes on the site, and employers can post job openings.
The Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee today unanimously approved Governor Doyle’s plan to disburse the Recovery money to help the unemployed return to work and revitalize Wisconsin’s economy.
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