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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (202) 219-6871
More than $7.1 million is being awarded to 12 business
associations, labor organizations and other groups to create high-wage job
opportunities for 1,210 dislocated workers nationwide, Secretary of Labor
Robert B. Reich announced today.
"Many workers facing dislocation are rightfully concerned
about wage loss if they must start over in new jobs," Reich said. "Through
these demonstration projects we can learn what works best in helping
experienced members of the workforce move successfully into new careers."
By identifying high-wage job opportunities, and effective
methods of accessing those opportunities, the 12 demonstration projects are
expected to identify new paths or approaches for workers to follow as they move
within the labor market.
The 12 projects selected for demonstration grants
represent strategies for high-wage job opportunities devised by employer
associations, unions, universities and community colleges, and one
community-based organization.
Some of the demonstrations target dislocated workers who
have previously received high wages and are seeking to maintain that wage level
in their new jobs. Other projects target dislocated workers who have not had
the skills or training necessary to earn high wages in their previous
employment.
The grants will test whether the direct involvement of
business associations, labor organizations, and other groups will result in
higher wage jobs for dislocated workers than through more traditional
employment and training providers, such as private industry councils and
workforce development boards.
All demonstration programs are working toward the
following goals:
- Wages paid to dislocated workers at time of placement must exceed by
at least 20 percent the average wage paid to individuals in the area who are
participating in the traditional federally funded dislocated worker
program;
- At least 80 percent of project participants must be employed at the
target wage of 20 percent over average within 90 days after completing the
program; and At least 70 percent of project participants must rate the
services they received as "very" or "extremely helpful."
The demonstration grants are authorized under the Job
Training Partnership Act. Services available to eligible dislocated workers may
include assessment of workers' skills and abilities, career counseling,
customized classroom and on-the-job training, academic tutoring, work
internships and job placement.
Support services such as child care and transportation
assistance may also be provided to enable project participants to engage in
training.
These dislocated worker demonstration projects represent
comprehensive approaches to help workers who have been, or are about to be,
laid off for reasons such as technological change, foreign competition or
government actions. In general, such workers are eligible if they are unlikely
to return to their previous industry or occupation.
Forty-seven proposals were submitted in response to a
Federal Register notice issued on March 11, 1996.
Following is a list of grantees, location of projects and
amounts of awards.
Grantee Name
Project Location
Amount
Dallas County
Community College
District
Dallas County,
Texas
$749,500
Operation ABLE of
Michigan
Metropolitan
Detroit and Oakland
County, Michigan
$410,000
Waukesha County
Technical College
Milwaukee
metropolitan area,
including Waukesha,
Ozaukee, and
Washington
Counties, Wisconsin
$748,460
Utah Information
Technologies
Association (UITA)
Foundation
Salt Lake City,
Utah
$750,000
North Carolina
Manufactured
Housing Institute
Person, Vance,
Stanly, and Lincoln
Counties, North
Carolina
$486,332
Temple University
City of
Philadelphia,
Bucks, Montgomery,
and Delaware
Counties,
Pennsylvania
$166,639
Labor Institute for
Workforce
Development
City of Des Moines,
Boone, Dallas,
Jasper, Madison,
Marion, Polk,
Story, and Warren
Counties, Iowa
$730,779
Economic
Development Network
(ED>Net) of the
State Center
Community College
District
Orange County and
the City of Los
Angeles, California
$750,000
The Software
Council Fellowship
Program, Inc.
Waltham,
Massachusetts
$452,500
Minnesota Teamsters
Service Bureau
Hennepin and Ramsey
Counties, Minnesota
$735,932
Nurse Assistant
Training School,
Inc.
Palm Beach County,
Florida
$416,920
Yakima Valley
Opportunities
Industrialization
Center
Yakima and Spokane
Counties,
Washington
$750,000
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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