Contact Information for Local Job Training Providers

Information by State  Print version

As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has awarded more than 200 grants ranging in size from $42,000 to $8 million to local workforce development, education and training, industry-related, and community organizations. The purpose of these grants is to train and re-train individuals so that they can obtain employment in growing and emerging industries or compete in today's struggling economy. Below is a brief description of several grant categories, as well as a link to the grant program fact sheet which includes contact information for the organizations that received grants. Neighborhood Networks center staff are encouraged to review the lists and determine if there are any local organizations with which they can partner or to whom they can refer residents. Neighborhood Networks center staff may also want to regularly visit the DOLETA Web site as new grants may become available.

Grant Programs

	Health Care Sector and Other High Growth and Emerging Industries Grants As many industries experience lay-offs and job losses, the health care industry remains a critical driver in regional economies across the nation. Employment growth in the health care sector will be driven by significant increases in demand for health care and assistance because of an aging population and longer life expectancies. In addition, projected retirements for current health care workers will necessitate a pipeline of skilled individuals ready to enter health care occupations. To assist individuals and communities in meeting these challenges, the DOL is investing in projects that focus on one or more health care sub-sectors or occupational categories. The DOL's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is also supporting grant projects that address current and forecasted workforce shortages, and provide workers with paths to career enhancing opportunities in high growth or emerging industries as defined within the context of state or regional economies. These investments will prepare participants for employment in industries that are being transformed by technology and innovation requiring new skill sets, or are projected to add substantial numbers of new jobs to the economy.
	State Energy Sector Partnership (SESP) and Training Grants To highlight the important role states play in building a national green economy, the DOL is investing in workforce sector strategies that target energy efficiency and renewable energy industries, as well as other green industries. The DOL's ETA encouraged grantees to engage in a strategic planning process that aligns with the governor's overall workforce vision, state energy policies, and local and regional training activities that lead to employment in targeted industry sectors. The strategic planning process was an opportunity for states to develop a statewide energy sector strategy through a comprehensive partnership and development of a Sector Plan. These investments foster the development of a national workforce that is ready to meet the demands of the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries. A portion of the funds under this grant program will be reserved for communities or regions undergoing auto industry-related restructurings.
	Pathways Out of Poverty Grants For individuals who are living below or near the poverty level, the current economic downturn has created a unique set of challenges, and has heightened the need to find pathways out of poverty and into employment. These individuals may lack basic literacy and job-readiness skills, and they may face other barriers to employment, such as the need for childcare or transportation. To assist individuals in meeting these challenges, the DOL is investing in Pathways Out of Poverty grants, which will integrate training and supportive services into cohesive programs that will help targeted populations find pathways out of poverty and into economic self-sufficiency through employment in energy efficiency and renewable energy industries. Despite the economic downturn, these green industries present many potential opportunities for individuals to learn new skills and competencies, gain employment, and advance along career pathways. In order to most effectively serve the specific populations targeted by these grants, the DOL encouraged applicants to focus project efforts in communities located within one or more contiguous Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) where poverty rates were 15 percent or higher. PUMAs are geographic areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau.
	Energy Training Partnership Grants The Energy Training Partnership grant program will provide training for workers that prepares them to enter the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries, as well as green occupations within other industries. These grants invest in partnerships made up of diverse set of stakeholders including labor organizations, public or private employers in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries, and the workforce system. Bringing together the workforce expertise of these groups will allow grantees to develop programs that are responsive to the needs of both workers and employers, and that provide participants with the support needed to successfully complete training. The grantees will utilize these partnerships to design and distribute training approaches that lead to portable industry credentials and employment, including registered apprenticeship. The DOL awarded grants to workforce development projects that focused on connecting target populations to career pathways in green industries. The DOL also was interested in projects that contributed to the understanding of green industries and jobs that clean and enhance our environment.
	Green Capacity Building Grants The Green Capacity Building grant program is intended to build the green training capacity of current DOL grantees. Through these grants, the ETA will help individuals acquire the skills needed to enter and advance in green industries and occupations by building the capacity of active DOL-funded training programs to provide education and training in the key skills and competencies that are needed in these green industries and occupations. Grantees may bolster the capacity of their training programs through the purchase of equipment, staff professional development, curriculum development and/or adaptation, partnership development, and where necessary, the hiring of additional staff.