KTVZ: Salem, OR On Monday, the Higher Education Coordinating Commission awarded 30 community-based organizations and workforce service providers Future Ready Oregon Workforce Ready Grants to innovate and collaborate on workforce development. $35 million was pre-awarded for Future Ready Oregon grants, the most ever.
“Workforce Ready Grants, Round Two: Innovation in Workforce Programs” fund education and training programs that help Oregon’s underrepresented and marginalized communities find meaningful, well-paying employment in health care, manufacturing, and technology.
The Warm Springs Community Action Team won $870,056 to expand and develop. The Warm Springs Community offers IT and solar technology training, career exploration, and work experience.
HECC advised financing on equality, innovation, and statewide breadth. Projects promote creative education and training with explicit relationships, culturally relevant services, and wraparound support for participants and students. The Future Prepared Projects that serve all three industry sectors—healthcare, manufacturing, and technology—and provide education and training across Oregon give culturally-specific training and wraparound supports to Oregon’s target populations.
HECC executive director Ben Cannon says, “Congrats to Future Ready Oregon’s second round of winners. We’re delighted to collaborate with various workforces and give Oregonians the skills and certifications they need to find satisfying careers. This is achievable owing to our community partners.”
The HECC received 165 $250 million bids after the competitive RFP. Many greater ideas than the HECC could fund were submitted. In pursuit of equity, innovation, and collaboration, the HECC rigorously analyzed and made choices with partners.
Details on the 30 Round Two-recommended projects and preliminary funds follow this announcement are as follows.
- Twelve $15.2 million projects fostering equitable health care education and training, including surgical, phlebotomy, dental, community, behavioral, women’s, emergency medical, and medical assistant pathways, such as:
- Familias en Acción provides rural Oregon community-based groups with linguistically and culturally specific Community Health Worker training, certification, continuing education, career services, and support.
- Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board will offer culturally specific programs for Oregon American Indian and Alaskan Native students interested in behavioral, community, and dental health assistant careers.
- The Traditional Health Worker Alliance by Willamette Health Council helps Mid-Valley priority populations create careers and fill healthcare workforce shortfalls. Many corporate and culturally specific community-based organization collaborations are needed to develop and implement this program.
- Nine $9.5 million programs support fair manufacturing education and training, including semiconductor, bioscience, and mass wood production certification pathways, like:
- Golden rule Former inmates get life skills, employability skills, community volunteerism, and job training in a residential setting through ReEntry.
- Hood Community College will engage with industry partners to provide advanced manufacturing training for existing workers, including a semiconductor production mobile lab.
- Three $3.5 million programs encouraging equitable technology education and training, including digital literacy, career-connected unmanned aircraft system and solar technology certification pathways, and advanced technology degrees, alike:
- Umatilla Indian Reservation Confederated Tribes’ workforce development initiative will provide unmanned aircraft systems certification and wraparound services with Cayuse Native Solutions, DelMar Aerospace, and Blue Mountain Community College.
- Working with Southern Oregon youth-serving groups, EncodeXP will create a digital literacy training program and offer technology industry jobs.
- Six $9.6 million Oregon programs promote fair education and training for diverse healthcare, manufacturing, and technology workforces.
- Community Pathways to Careers at Chemeketa Community College will offer career exploration, internships, short-term certification, and employment with culturally specific organizations and tribal governments.
- Connected Lane County provides internships, support, and accelerated workforce education and training in manufacturing, healthcare, and technology to 16-24-year-olds.
Labor Ready Grants make up the majority of the $200 million Future Ready Oregon investment package (Senate Bill 1545, 2022). Future Ready Oregon promotes employment equity and provides training and wraparound support to priority populations seeking high-demand jobs. Workforce Ready Grants help Oregon’s healthcare, manufacturing, and technology businesses hire and retain diverse workers via innovative education and training programs that promote collaborations.
Early 2024 is the next Workforce Ready Grant application season. Check the HECC website for Workforce Ready Grant and Future Ready Oregon updates.