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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (202)219-6871
The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the second of
three rounds of demonstration grants for training American workers for
high-skill jobs in areas where companies are facing labor shortages. This $29
million round is part of nearly $80 million the Labor Department will invest
this year in fees received through the H1-B visa program that allows companies
to hire temporary foreign workers.
"High-tech businesses are in desperate need of high skilled
workers," President Clinton said. "We are committed to business and our
workers. With these grants, we can help companies meet their labor needs by
training U.S. workers for these high-tech, high-skill jobs."
The funds will enable American workers to receive high-tech
training in such targeted occupations as network design, digital media, systems
analyst, telecommunications, programming, nursing, bioscience, and animation.
"We have to address the fact that we don't have a worker
shortage but a skills shortage in this country," Secretary of Labor Alexis M.
Herman said. "These grants can help ensure that American workers have the first
opportunity for these high-paying jobs. This program helps incumbent workers,
dislocated workers and those new to the labor force."
According to Assistant Secretary of Labor Raymond Bramucci,
the Labor Department to-date has committed more than $41 million for training
under the H1-B initiative. In several weeks, the Department's Employment and
Training Administration will begin a third round of competition for these
high-tech training grants.
The H1-B grants build on current Labor Department
initiatives that address high-tech skill shortages, including:
- June 2000: $10.2 million to establish or strengthen regional
partnerships aimed at meeting employers' identified skill shortages.
- March 2000: $15.2 million for regional skills consortium building.
- June 1999: $9.57 million to train dislocated workers in computer and
electronics manufacturing, machinery and motor vehicles, chemicals and
petroleum, specialized instruments and biomedics.
- June 1998: $7.5 million to 11 organizations to train dislocated
workers in information technology skills.
The grants announced today will serve approximately 5,000
workers. Their funding comes from a portion of the $500 fee companies pay for
each H1-B non-immigrant visa for which they apply under 1998's American
Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act.
A list of the grantees is attached.
Second Round H1-B Grantees
July 2000
Alaska
Grantee: Municipality of Anchorage
Grant
Amount: $2,425,035
California
Grantee: Private Industry Council of
San Francisco, Inc.
Grant Amount: $3 million
Grantee: City of
Glendale
Grant Amount: $3 million
Grantee: County of Contra Costa,
Employment and Human Services Department
Grant Amount: $2,220,018
Connecticut
Grantee: Southeastern Connecticut Workforce Development
Board
(Workforce Investment Board of Southeastern Connecticut as of July 1,
2000)
Grant Amount: $1,807,624
Kentucky
Grantee: Kentucky -
Louisville and Jefferson County Workforce Investment Board
Grant Amount:
$2,538,040
Maryland
Grantee: Baltimore County/Baltimore County
Office of Employment and Training
Grant Amount: $2,517,888
Massachusetts
Grantee: Berkshire County Regional Employment Board
Grant
Amount: $2,003,164
New Jersey
Grantee: Mercer County Workforce
Investment Board
Grant Amount: $2,997,072
New York
Grantee: The
Private Industry Council of the City of New York, Inc.
Grant Amount:
$2,940,162
Texas
Grantee: Dallas County Local Workforce Development
Board
Grant Amount: $909,270
Grantee: Houston-Galveston Area
Council, for Gulf Coast Workforce Development
Board Grant Amount:
$2,808,484
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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