ETA News Release: [October 4, 2004]
Contact Name: Ed Frank or Jane Norris
Phone Number: 202-693-4676
U.S. Department of Labor Announces $2.1 Million Grant to Attract Illinois Women to Careers in the Construction Industry
Grant Is Part of the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative
CHICAGO - U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco today announced a $2,092,343 grant to Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT) to help increase the profile of and attract Illinois women to the construction industry. The grant is part of the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative.
"This nearly $2.1 million grant will help train women for good paying jobs in the construction industry which is desperately seeking workers," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. "There is a shortage of skilled workers in our country, and this grant supports the Administration's commitment on training workers to help them access good paying jobs in high growth industries."
With the grant, CWIT will conduct professional outreach and produce marketing materials to introduce women to careers in the skilled trades, as well as hold orientation sessions and job fairs that focus on construction industry careers. An array of education and support services will be provided, including career planning, placement, and mentoring by women currently working in the industry.
"The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that an additional one million workers will be needed in construction by 2012," said DeRocco. "This grant will draw women to careers in this growing sector of the economy as well as help address the construction industry's need for skilled workers."
CWIT and its partners also will work with both One-Stop Career Centers and community college to enhance their capacity to serve women. The campaign is projected to reach 9,200 workers.
Key project partners include the Illinois Departments of Labor, Employment Security, and Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Illinois Community College Board, City Colleges of Chicago, The Builders Association, Construction Service Corporation, Hispanic American Construction Industry Association, Mechanical Contractors Association of Chicago, Chicago Building Trades Council, and the Workforce Boards of Metropolitan Chicago.
The President's High Growth Job Training Initiative is a strategic effort to better prepare workers to take advantage of new job opportunities in high growth sectors of the American economy. Through executive forums with leaders of expanding industries, critical workforce gaps and issues are identified. Solutions are then created in cooperation with employers, educational institutions and the public workforce system. For more information, please visit www.doleta.gov/BRG/JobTrainInitiative/.
The Labor Department also recently launched the Skills to Build America's Future initiative, which helps build national awareness of the importance of skilled workers to our economy and nation. For more information about this program, please visit www.careervoyages.gov.
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