Job-Training Stimulus Funds Allocated By Government
- Author: Teresa Boehm
- Posted: 2024-07-29
In order to help workers reboot their skill set and get them started on a career path that will work for them, the federal government will offer support to the workforce in a vital and necessary way. Of course, like any stimulus package, the money to train the workforce with modern skills isn't going to end unemployment or underemployment. It's merely a first step in the process of rebuilding local and state worker programs.
Nearly $4 billion has been allocated to help develop and train the workforce for the modern world. Not only that, but the money is reaching its destination much faster than standard stimulus packages. The main points of the ARRA will include:
- $500 million for sustainable energy job training
- $500 million for employment services via state grants for low-income individuals
- $1.2 billion for youth workers
- $1.25 billion for adult workers who have been laid off or otherwise lost or might lose employment
The Dislocated Workforce
A large percentage of the workforce is dislocated, meaning they have been forced to leave a job for reasons that have nothing to do with their own performance in that job. In order for these individuals to take advantage of the ARRA, they will need to visit a local One-Stop Career Center. There are more than 3,000 of these federal help offices, and they can help in a variety of ways.
Workers might use the stimulus money to transition out of a depressed industry into a new field. Perhaps an employee working as a manufacturing technician loses her position. She could contact her local One-Stop Career Center, where she might be referred to Lakeland Community College for technical training in allied health. She could then become a radiologic technologist using many of the same skills she employed in her previous career.
When a worker visits a One-Stop Career Center, they are given a voucher that can be exchanged for the appropriate college education. This money is a rare opportunity for those who wish to change their lives for the better with a new and modern career.
Assistance for Workers of All Ages
According the guidelines of the ARRA and how its money should be distributed, there are two main demographic groups that are eligible for aid. The first group is made up of young people who have just entered the workforce, and the second group is made up of older workers who can't find or hold a job.
Funding that is geared toward young workers is meant to help them enter the workforce as adaptable individuals who will thrive in the future job market. For example, the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services is receiving $17 million from the ARRA to help with their Youth Ready program. The program offers job training and internships throughout the area, and more than 24,000 youths have applied so far. If you want to apply for the program yourself, you must be between the ages of 14 and 24. You can apply online or over the phone.
Additional funding is also available for workers who are 55 or older and have low incomes. Many programs offer part-time job training and placement in non-profit organizations and public agencies. If you are 55 or older, you can contact your local One-Stop Career Center for more information.
