WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao announced December 11,2001, a $20 million grant competition for H-1B Technical Skills Partnership Grants that will train American workers in high skill occupations. "We need to focus on getting Americans back to work. These grants are a long-term solution to domestic skill shortages in high skill and high technology occupations," Chao said. "We are assisting businesses by empowering them to make decisions about what training should be offered, what outcomes should be achieved and how they should be managed." The goal of the training grants is to prepare Americans for high skill jobs, reducing the long-term dependence on foreign labor. Eligible applicants generally are partnerships that consist of at least two businesses and may include any educational, labor, community organization, faith based organization or workforce investment board. Funds for the technical skills training grants come from user fees paid by employers who recruit high skilled foreign workers under the H-1B visa program. The fees-for-training plan was authorized by Congress in 1998.

Go to Appendix B

Go to Solicitation for Grant Applications

Go to SGA Forms and Instructions

Go to list of Award