Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Council on Foundations’ Highest Award Goes to National Fund for Workforce Solutions

Contact: Jeff Rosenberg (301-545-1141)

BOSTON, MA (April 27, 2010) – Today, the National Fund for Workforce Solutions (www.nfwsolutions.org) received the Distinguished Grantmaking Award for Collaboration from the Council on Foundations, a Washington, DC-based nonprofit membership association of some 2,000 grantmaking foundations and corporations.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Governor Quinn Announces New ‘Put Illinois to Work’ Employment Program

CHICAGO – April 26, 2010 -- Governor Pat Quinn today unveiled the Put Illinois to Work (PIW) program, an anti-poverty program aimed at building a healthy workforce by putting unemployed and underemployed Illinois residents back to work. The new program is expected to create more than 15,000 jobs.

“Put Illinois to Work will provide good-paying jobs that will help support families and strengthen communities,” said Governor Pat Quinn. “The program will also assist in building a workforce that possesses the skills, abilities and experiences that Illinois employers need to remain competitive in the U.S. and global marketplace.”

Put Illinois to Work is a collaborative effort of the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and Heartland Human Care Services (HHCS). Funding is provided through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Emergency Contingency Fund (ECF), which was created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

Through Put Illinois to Work, eligible Illinois residents will be placed in subsidized employment positions with participating worksites for up to six months, learning valuable skills and supporting their families. The program will help stimulate Illinois’ ailing economy and develop a healthy workforce by providing meaningful work experience for participants.

"Put Illinois to Work is an exciting opportunity to employ thousands of Illinoisans during a time of economic downturn and high unemployment,” said IDHS Secretary Michelle R. B. Saddler. “The program will draw down federal funds that will stimulate the Illinois economy and even more importantly, will help the citizens we serve to gain critical skills in the workforce.”

Private, public and non-profit businesses are encouraged to sign on with Put Illinois to Work. Eligible participants will be matched to subsidized employment opportunities with these worksites in hopes that they might transition into an unsubsidized position at the program’s conclusion.

Eligible worksites and participants must meet program criteria and agree to adhere to specific programmatic requirements. Participants must be age 18-21, or 18 and over and the parent (custodial or noncustodial) of a minor child. All participants must have a household income below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level ($2,428 per month for a family of two) and be legally present and authorized to work.

Central Valley gets nearly $1 Million to help kids stay in school

... link between school work and real-life job experience,” says Victoria Bradshaw, secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency. ...

Stimulus money helps train EMTs through Louisville Metro Community Action ...

Louisville Courier-Journal
The Community Action Partnership has previously held job training classes. But before being awarded the $2.4 million stimulus grant, those classes had been ...

State job program becomes a model

Atlanta Journal Constitution
The worker continues to get an unemployment check plus a small stipend, as well as job training that, it's hoped, will lead to full-time employment at the ...

Monday, April 26, 2010

Westchester Summer Jobs Program: New Public/Private Partnership Makes Summer ...

PR Web (press release)
Seeking to replace federal and state funding for summer youth employment, the Westchester Summer Jobs Program will continue in 2010 as a new public/private ...

Going green gets $200000 boost

Rome Sentinel
The Workforce Investment Board of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties will receive a $200000 Brownfields Job Training Grant from the Environmental ...

The Department of Energy Announces $200 Million for Solar and Water Power

Green Chip Stocks (blog)
... will also serve as a national point of contact for the training network and will address any issues related to solar training and workforce development. ...

Kosmas Introduces 'Space to Schools' Legislation

BigNews.biz (press release)
An Advisory Board will be created under the direction of the Secretary of ... $1 million in funding for the Brevard Workforce Development Board to assist ...

Friday, April 16, 2010

Governor Jan Brewer Unveils New Model for Economic Development

Authority Will Engage Business Leaders Across Arizona

PHOENIX – Governor Jan Brewer today (April 14) unveiled a new model to advance Arizona’s economy through its approach to economic development.

ACTE Announces 'Career Ready' Definition

ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 13 -- The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) today released a paper entitled "What is 'Career Ready'?" that outlines three broad sets of skills students need to be career-ready...

2010 Southern Region Convening

Ron Painter, President of National Association of Workforce Boards. Energy: Advancing Efficiency, Generation for Fuel Development ...

Changing a light bulb changing the future of youth in the workforce

... recognized as a Distinguished Honoree of the Theodore E Small Workforce Partnership Award by the National Association of Workforce Boards at its annual ...

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Officials say incentive of tax break is helpful

WatertownDailyTimes.com
"I'm seeing this as a real positive," said Cheryl A. Mayforth, Jefferson-Lewis Workforce Investment Board executive director. St. Lawrence County Economic ...

$100 Million Allocated for Smart Grid Workforce Training and Development

ECNmag.com
“Today's investment will help ensure that we have the workforce in place to meet this need. This is a great opportunity for workers to upgrade their skills ...

Casper College, Eleutian team up for teacher training program

Casper Journal
... in the Casper area, thanks to a Pre-Hire Economic Development Grant through the Department of Workforce Services Workforce Development Training Fund. ...

Organizations provide assistance for area businesses

Katy Times
Speakers from Founders Aviation, Workforce Solutions of Texas and the University of Houston's Fort Bend Small Business Development Center each delivered a ...

Bethlehem tops in robotics competition

Holmes County Times Advertiser
The Chipola Regional Workforce Development Board is a non-profit corporation providing job skill training and employment services in Calhoun, Holmes, ...

Workforce Alliance Anticipates Summer Youth Employment Program ...

Workforce Alliance Anticipates Summer Youth Employment Program, WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., April 9.

YEP Summer Jobs in Anchorage

By megan
The goal of the YEP program is to positively engage a new generation of diverse youth leaders with the environment and the Anchorage community through meaningful training, employment, and outdoor recreation. Each summer, YEP hires ...

Putting youth to work

Canby Herald
The involvement of more Canby businesses would make it easier for them to participate without the challenge of finding transportation to summer jobs out of ...

Green-jobs training program brings downtown house back to life

Press & Sun-Bulletin
However, it's being brought back to new by a group of 29 students who are using the project to develop job skills and a new lease on life. The training is ...

CEOs Tap 'Wellness Managers'

Wall Street Journal
The consultants begin by training managers and then work their way through the company. Increasing employees' awareness of their own mental and physical ...

Jobless dropouts head back to school for basic skills

Washington Post
The Obama administration and Congress boosted job training in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and the $500 million adult education budget was ...

HUD Provides $875000 For Job Training

WSMV Nashville
The HUD has $875531 available to help low-income families across the state receive job training and employment. In the state of Tennessee, 13000 people are ...

Monday, April 12, 2010

EPA Administrator Lisa P.Jackson Announces $2 Million in Brownfields Job ...

Coal Geology (blog)
The agency's Brownfields Job Training Program helps train people for jobs in the assessment, cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields properties, ...

MARC Receives Walmart Foundation Workforce Grant

Kansas City infoZine
Identify emerging sectors that could benefit from collaborating within a coordinated regional workforce development system of strategic partners. ...

DOE Offers $100M for Smart Grid Job Training

Fast Company
The smart grid sector might be a good place to start now that the US Department of Energy has doled out $100 million for smart grid job training in a move ...

Congress prepares to send Florida $28M for summer jobs

Tampa Bay Business Journal
Florida will receive $28 million for the federal Summer Youth Jobs Program, part of a $600 million package passed March 24 by the US House. ...

Friday, April 9, 2010

Chandler named new director of workforce development group

Press-Register - al.com (blog)
By Jeff Amy A former real estate and nonprofit executive will take over the lead spot for workforce development in eight southwest Alabama counties. ...

Governor Schwarzenegger Establishes Office of Economic Development

Imperial Valley News
These agencies shall include, but not be limited to, the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, ...

Thursday, April 8, 2010

PDCCC graduation speaker announced

Leber also serves as president of the Newport News Education Foundation and on the National Association of Workforce Boards and Virginia Career Education ...

TRCC awarded grant for job training

Daily Dunklin Democrat
Among other Missouri community colleges recently approved under the governor's Training for Tomorrow initiative, Three Rivers will receive about $750000 to ...

Walmart helps fund West Mich. job literacy program

Grand Haven Tribune
... 45 have taken financial literacy classes, 47 have taken computer classes, and 26 have enrolled in college or the job training program. ...

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

New joint venture beginning for WIB

From the April 5 Observer Today. This reportage nicely encapsulates how Boards in three states (New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio) are recognizing the practicality of a regional approach to economic development and workforce preparation.

HHS Grants $144M for Health IT Research, Work Force Training

iHealthBeat
Last week, HHS announced a total of $144 million in grants to support health IT research and work force development, Healthcare IT News reports. ...