The U.S. Department of Labor recently awarded over $150 million in competitive grants to 39 workforce partnerships across the country to train and prepare at-risk youth for in-demand and unfilled tech jobs. Four of the partnerships are located in Florida, including Miami, Polk County, Tampa Bay and an east coast region spanning nine counties.
The grants have been issued as part of the White House’s TechHire initiative, an effort launched by President Obama in 2015 urging communities to work with employers to prepare workers for well-paying jobs in information technology and other in-demand fields such as healthcare, manufacturing and financial services.
The funds will support innovative training and placement programs to develop tech talent, with the ultimate goal of strengthening local economies and lifting more Americans into the middle class.
Just over $13 million in TechHire grants have been awarded to four workforce partnerships in Florida, including:
Florida East Coast TechHire, led by Daytona State College, which will receive $3.7 million to provide hands-on experience, paid internships and accelerated boot camp-style training in manufacturing and IT related fields to 400 workers, including disconnected youth.
Acquiring Credentials and Creating Experimental Learning (ACCEL) in Tech, led by Miami-Dade College, which will receive $3.5 million to help 415 individuals facing barriers to employment prepare for jobs in IT, healthcare and financial services. As an education and training provider, Miami-Dade College will evaluate students’ skills and guide them through personalized pathways from certificates to associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in IT fields.
Polk Partnership for Industrial Employment, led by Polk State College, together with the Polk County Correctional Institution Re-entry Facility, which will receive $2.1 million to help 325 incarcerated individuals earn training and credentials that will prepare them for manufacturing jobs and a successful re-entry back into society.
Tampa Bay TechHire, led by the Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance Inc., which will receive $3.8 million to help 1,000 young people and low-income workers prepare for jobs in information technology and healthcare. Training providers, including the University of South Florida, will offer students the opportunity to earn credentials in customized programs.
To learn more about the TechHire grants, read this press release from the White House. For more information on the 39 partnerships awarded TechHire grants, click here.