State to Award Job Skills Development Grants
The program aims to boost the development of "sector-focused" training and education programs for in-demand jobs.
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Indiana Department of Workforce Development is set to award its third round of Skill UP Indiana! grants. The state has made a pool of up to $20 million available to support innovation networks and regional partnerships to boost Indiana’s work force pipeline through skill-specific training and certification.
The DWD says the program now focuses more on innovation networks, which consist of employers, educators, economic and work force development groups, and community organizations, aiming to develop skills among students and adults locally. The networks can also include sector partnerships, a group of multiple employers from a single industry, that work with the same local groups to develop workers specifically for that industry.
"A majority of the more than 1 million jobs will not need a college degree, but rather further training and certification beyond high school currently either not available or hard to find," said Mike Barnes, associate chief operating officer for employer engagement with the DWD. "Skill UP was created to fill this gap by using employer-driven data to create new learning and development approaches for the most highly-desired skill sets. Innovation Networks enable stakeholders to collaborate and find solutions."
The deadline for the planning phase application is July 14. The DWD will announce the recipients of the grants in early 2018.
A total of $19 million in grants has been awarded to date, with the previous recipients being announced in February and October 2016. You can learn more about the Skill UP Indiana! program by clicking here.