Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) announced The WorkPlace will receive a nearly $2 million Youth Apprenticeship Readiness Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The WorkPlace is a workforce development organization that has been serving Southwest Connecticut for over 36 years.
“Education is the path forward for individuals and America to build a strong future in the 21st Century,” said Congressman Himes. “The WorkPlace’s efforts to train young adults in Southwest Connecticut for careers in manufacturing is crucial. If we want Connecticut to remain competitive, we need vocational programs run by organizations like The WorkPlace.”
“The WorkPlace is excited for this opportunity to work with a broad spectrum of community partners to create programming that will help young adults enter manufacturing careers,” said Joe Carbone, President and CEO, The WorkPlace. “The credentials earned by participants in this program will validate for employers their commitment and readiness for employment. We are very thankful for the support our proposal received from Congressman Himes and Connecticut’s delegation.”
According to The WorkPlace, the $1,997,046 grant will be used to develop and support an apprenticeship program aimed at helping young adults pursue careers in the manufacturing industry. The program will produce graduates with industry recognized credentials and will partner with Housatonic Community College’s (HCC) Advanced Manufacturing Program, Justice Education Center, Bigelow Tea, and Microboard Processing, Inc. The program will primarily focus on students who are in the 11th and 12th grades. Young adults without a high school diploma will participate in this program through the Justice Education Center.
The Youth Apprenticeship Readiness Grant will allow educational entities and programs that serve out-of-school youth, school boards, workforce boards, employers, workforce partners, and other apprenticeship intermediaries—to partner to develop and establish new apprenticeship models for youth or expand existing apprenticeship programs for youth. Grant recipients will seek to expand opportunities to prepare 16 to 24-year-old registered apprentices for careers in industries including manufacturing, information technology, cybersecurity, and healthcare. Click here to learn more about the Youth Apprenticeship Readiness Grant.
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