WYRZ.org 98.9 WYRZ – The Voice of Hendricks County
Indianapolis – Governor Mike Pence and Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Commissioner Steve Braun today announced the 13 recipients of the more than $11 million in Skill UP Indiana! grant funds. The Skill UP Indiana! grant program provides funding to community partnerships to develop training and education programs that align with employer needs. Awardees will use grant funds to equip Hoosiers with the skills necessary to fill the one million jobs projected to be available over the next decade.
“Today, we take important steps toward closing the skills gap and empowering Hoosiers to obtain the skills to fill the in-demand careers of our workforce today and in the future,” said Governor Pence. “Our Skill UP! Indiana grant program is just one facet of our broader strategy to further cement Indiana’s reputation throughout the nation as a state that works. With partnerships like these, we vow to put Indiana on track to be a global engine of commerce, ingenuity, investment and economic development.”
“The Skill UP Indiana! grant program is one of the most integral steps we are taking to ensure Hoosiers in every region of the state have the skills and competencies to meet employer workforce demand now and into the future ,” said Steven J. Braun, Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. “Skill UP funds will be used by these 13 regional partnerships to make sure we are all teaching the right skills at the right time in the right way to fill the over one million jobs Indiana is projected to have available over the next decade.”
The Skill UP Indiana! grant program was created to encourage development of sector-focused training and education programs for in-demand occupations at the regional level, in order to teach the necessary skills and competencies as identified by local employers. The regional partnerships will also focus on employability skills (soft skills) instruction that can be utilized across all careers, and work-and-learn opportunities for youth and adult learners. Funding for this initiative was made available in the most recent biennial budget for innovation and advancement in career and technical education and workforce development. To be eligible for funds, partnerships had to propose the creation of industry-led training and education programs geared toward in-demand skills and competencies. Regional partnerships also had to obtain a minimum private sector match of 25 percent of the requested grant funding.
Specific information regarding recipients, a snapshot of their individual proposed programs, grant award totals, private matching dollars, as well as other Skill UP Indiana! details can be attached and at http://in.gov/dwd/skillup.htm.
