June 26, 2014

Manchin Announces More Than $6 Million to Train West Virginians for Good-Paying Jobs

Department of Labor’s new Job-Driven

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin announced that WorkForce West Virginia will receive $6,175,000 in funding through the Department of Labor’s Job Driven (JD) National Emergency Grant (NEG) program for statewide job-training
opportunities in West Virginia. The funding will be used to provide services, such
as coaching, counseling and direct job placement, that will help connect workers seeking employment, including the long-term unemployed, with available, good-paying jobs. WorkForce West Virginia will also use the funding to create and develop partnerships between workforce and industry organizations and to coordinate with other programs in order to train and place workers.

Key industries include construction and oil and gas, and veterans will be given top
priority of service.

“Too many hard-working and dedicated West Virginians and Americans across our country are still struggling to find and keep good-paying jobs because of our stagnant economy,” Senator Manchin said. “This funding will help expand job training programs that will not only provide workers with the information they need to find job openings, but also will help them develop the skillsets necessary to fill those open positions.”

In addition, the program has awarded up to $175,000 for recipients to participate
in activities in one or more of the following areas to better serve dislocated workers:

• Increasing consumer access to training outcomes and information;

• Developing more effective electronic employment tools;

• Expanding employer engagement; and

• Enhancing customer and employer satisfaction.

 

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