KOKOMO, Ind. — Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco today participated with Gov. Mitch Daniels in the North Central Indiana's (NCI) kickoff of the WIRED (Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development) initiative.

"The North Central Indiana region will use WIRED to prepare its workforce for the advanced technologies and new skills that 21st century industries demand," said DeRocco. "WIRED is an expression of President Bush's belief that developing and applying the American people's skills in productive and innovative ways are critical to keeping our nation competitive in the global economy."

The NCI's WIRED project will focus on fostering entrepreneurship; increasing innovation and job growth among NCI firms in the advanced manufacturing, advanced materials, and agribusiness/food processing/technology clusters; and increasing post-secondary education attainment rates among the region's mature residents, especially low-skilled, mature incumbent workers in declining industries. Purdue University will serve as the administrator for NCI's WIRED project.

In addition to Purdue, major partners in the project include: Workforce Development Strategies Inc., North Central Indiana and Tecumseh Area Workforce Investment Boards, Lafayette-West Lafayette Economic Development Corporation, Greater Lafayette Venture Club, Lafayette School Corporation, Ivy Tech Community College, Indiana University Kokomo, and Kokomo/Howard County Development Corporation.

On Feb. 1, the U.S. Department of Labor selected North Central Indiana as one of 13 regions to take part in the $195 million WIRED initiative as a complement to the President's American Competitiveness Initiative. Participating regions will be awarded $15 million over three years.

WIRED aims to expand employment and advancement opportunities for American workers and spur the creation of high skill and high wage opportunities throughout the country. Regions selected for WIRED seek to improve their competitiveness through the transformation of their economies and the systems and structures that support them. Regional economies in Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan, Florida, Alabama/Mississippi, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Montana and California are participating in WIRED.