DWD lands $11M to support dislocated workers
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The Indiana Department of Workforce Development has received a $10.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to help employers connect with dislocated Hoosier workers. The department says the funding will be used to develop a comprehensive outreach plan with Indiana employers to target populations disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
The DWD says it will focus on forming strategic partnerships with the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and other organizations to develop the outreach strategy. For the employer base, the department plans to prioritize work in high-demand recovering sectors, as well as emerging sectors like renewable energy, electric vehicles and semiconductor production.
“The demand for a skilled and talented workforce continues to be high, and we have an opportunity to work with Indiana employers, understand their workforce needs and connect them with the employees they desire,” said DWD Commissioner David Adams. “With this funding, we can create a better pipeline for developing talent that ensures Hoosier workers receive the necessary skills and abilities to compete and thrive with employers in Indiana’s changing economic landscape.”
The grant is part of the Quality Jobs, Equity, Strategy, and Training Disaster Recovery program, or QUEST, which supports jobs in infrastructure, environment, and the care economy, along with other critical and growing sectors.
Dislocated Worker Grants, which were authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, temporarily expand the service capacity of dislocated worker programs.
Earlier this year, the department was awarded nearly $11 million in dislocated worker grant funding and announced the availability of funds for QUEST Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker grants of up to $15 million per applicant.