State announces nearly $60 million for workforce development | Latest News | insightonbusiness.com

Gov. Tony Evers announced 12 regional projects aimed at developing long-term solutions to Wisconsin’s workforce challenges will receive up to $59.5 million in grants.The grants are part of the first round of the state’s $100 million Workforce Innovation Grant Program using resources available through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). A second round of grants will be awarded in 2022. “Wisconsin has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country and we have high labor participation, but our state faces long-standing workforce challenges that existed for years before the pandemic,” said Gov. Evers.

…The University of Wisconsin Prison Education Initiative (PEI) of the state Department of Corrections will deliver workforce-ready curriculum to teach employability skills to students while incarcerated and continue supporting them post-release through career placement. Piloting the program will engage six regions of the state including through UW-Oshkosh and UW-Green Bay.

Other projects include public-private partnerships to train and attract healthcare workers throughout rural Wisconsin; to develop next-generation advanced manufacturing employees in west-central and southeast Wisconsin; to create pipelines of young, educated workers in Milwaukee; to train construction and skilled craft workers throughout the state, among other projects.

Source: State announces nearly $60 million for workforce development | Latest News | insightonbusiness.com