Part of Governor’s ‘Jobs for the Future’ Initiative, Funding Will Help Train
Workers in Emerging Fields from Biotechnology to Advanced Manufacturing
MADISON – Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman today announced the availability of $850,000 in grants to fund the Emerging Industries Skills Partnership (EISP) Project – a key component of Governor Jim Doyle’s “Jobs for the Future” Initiative.
The Governor’s “Jobs for the Future” Initiative builds partnerships between businesses and schools so that our current and future workers are trained for the high-tech job market. The EISP Project will offer grants to businesses, industry associations, and technical colleges to train thousands of workers in emerging fields such as biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, stem cell research, and renewable energy.
“Under Governor Doyle’s leadership, 170,000 new jobs have been created in Wisconsin the past four years,” Secretary Gassman. “We’ve made a lot of great progress, but the job isn’t finished yet. This new partnership will help us make sure there are enough jobs for our workers and that our young people are prepared for the high-tech jobs of tomorrow.”
The EISP Project will build partnerships through the state’s 11 Workforce Development Boards, as well as the state’s educational institutions and business or industry associations, to develop new-job training or skill upgrade training. The goal of the project is to provide training funds to support and expand skill needs in the targeted industries of bioindustry, biotechnology, or advanced manufacturing. Other goals include:
- Addressing the current and future skill needs in bioindustry, biotechnology, and advanced manufacturing industry sectors;
- Developing industry/sub-industry, supplier, and labor partnerships to promote industry innovation/development, identification of required industry skills, and cooperative solutions to address skill needs that will support growth and sustainability in these industries;
- Developing institutional partnerships for development of effective response capacity; and
- Developing occupational career pathways for low-skilled adults, dislocated workers, and current workers
The EISP project will also help support industry efforts like the recently released Wisconsin Guide to Building Biofuels Facilities, a tool for prospective producers that is available online at http://power.wisconsin.gov. It provides information on permits, regulations, and agency contacts that are critical for construction and operation of a biofuels facility, and will provide assistance in understanding this growing industry.
Application proposals are due to DWD on June 22, 2007. Eligible grant applicants are the Workforce Development Boards. Interested parties should contact their local Board; contact information can be found at http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwdwia/PDF/wda_list.pdf. For more general information on this grant, please see the DWD website at http://dwd.wisconsin.gov or contact Gary Denis at 608-266-6886.
