U.S. Department of Labor awards $65 million in grants to eighteen colleges across fourteen states.
The government employment regulator has established funds to improve community colleges’ access to high-quality training and education facilities. The fund focuses on key sectors involving skilled labor workers, such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy, semiconductors, and biotechnology.
“The Biden-Harris administration is investing in training programs that end in a job, rather than a job search,” said Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie Su.
Department of Labor announces $65M in college funding
The funding is the fifth installment of the Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants backed by the Employment and Training Administration. They will benefit a plethora of diverse institutions, including a Tribally Controlled College, a Historically Black College and University, and 5 Hispanic Serving Institutions, as well as 23 consortia members.
The funding also marks a $265 million investment in education institutions, which has given 207 colleges in 35 states access to facilities and monetary investment to improve the quality of education available to students.
As a direct result of this investment in education environments, the Department of Labor contributes to national workforce priorities for employers and workers in their respective states and local communities.
Due has reported on multiple occasions that the Department of Labor has sought to invest in education and workers’ facilities, which was a definite theme across 2024.
In June the government employment regulator announced a new grant has made $10.5 m available for mine workers—the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).
Director Su continued, “Our Strengthening Community Colleges grantees run programs that help lift whole communities, like by helping community colleges equip workers with the skills they need right now, while strengthening workforce infrastructure. This is how we fundamentally shift workforce training programs to better invest in improving the lives of America’s workers.”
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