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H-1B Job Training Grants
The President's High Growth Job Training Initiative represents the first step in a series of actions that the Department
By expanding the local workforce system's capacity to be market-driven, responsive to local economic needs, and a contributor to the economic well-being of the community, the Employment and Training Administration is promoting workforce quality, enhanced productivity, and economic competitiveness.
The High Growth Job Training Initiative continues to invest in national models and demonstrations of workforce solutions in these sectors designed to achieve the following outcomes: Targeted investment of workforce development resources and support for private and public sector partnerships to ensure the development of workers skills in occupations where industry has identified needs.
Increased integration of community and technical college efforts with business and the public workforce system activities to meet the skills training needs of high-growth industries.
Increased opportunities for employers to use apprenticeship training as skills development methodology, combining on-the-job training and academics, to ensure a pipeline of skilled workers.
Providing workers with paths to career enhancing opportunities in high-growth occupations.
The goal of the WIRED initiative is to expand employment and advancement opportunities for American workers and catalyze the creation of high-skill and high-wage opportunities in the regional economies.
The WIRED Initiative focuses on labor market areas that are comprised of multiple jurisdictions within state or across state borders.
It supports innovative approaches to workforce development, economic development, and education that go beyond traditional strategies preparing workers to compete and succeed both within the United States and globally.
This initiative is designed for regions that have been affected by global trade, are dependent on a single industry or are recovering from natural disasters.
One of the key elements of the WIRED Initiative is a strong regional partnership composed of all the organizations necessary to transform the regional economy, including workforce, civic, business, investor, education, government, entrepreneurial, and philanthropic organizations.
WIRED grantees have a unique opportunity to design and implement strategic approaches that will transform their economies and the systems that support those economies.
Examples of Funded Projects
(1) A $2 million grant to provide apprenticeship training, short-term training, and skill certification for 3,312 bus mechanics, rail mechanics, rail signal maintainers, elevator/escalator technicians, and equipment maintainers; (2) A $2,480,852 grant to a state community college system to organize an advanced manufacturing training center organized as a factory rather than as a school, and training over 3600 students; (3) A $2,305,995 grant to develop and disseminate a two-year Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nuclear Technology program and train at least 160 students to be hired by nuclear power plants and national laboratories; (4) A $15 million grant to help transform a regional economy that been supported by a high wage automotive industry that is now in decline, by building on the research and development of its universities to create and build new technologies, such as alternative fuels, to encourage new companies and new jobs across the region; and (5) A $15 million grant to help transform a regional economy whose key manufacturing industries -textiles, apparel, tobacco, and furniture- have been devastated by globalization and the availability of inexpensive offshore labor by integrating workforce development, education, cluster-focused economic development, and entrepreneurship.
The Department of Labor fosters and promotes the welfare of job seekers, wage earners and retirees by improving their working conditions, advancing their opportunities, protecting their retirement and health benefits and generally protecting worker rights and monitoring national economic measures.
Program Accomplishments
As of March 2006, 131 grants worth over $258 million have been awarded under the High Growth Job Training Initiative. Between July 1, 2005 and March 30, 2006 over $54 million in H-1B funds have been awarded under the High Growth Job Training Initiative. During 2006, competitions are expected for talent development investments in the advanced manufacturing, construction, and energy under the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative. Under the WIRED Initiative, ETA has awarded $195 million in grants lasting three years to thirteen regions. An additional competition under the WIRED Initiative was announced in February 2006.
Uses and Use Restrictions
ETA identified 14 sectors that fit within the following criteria: (1) they are projected to add substantial numbers of new jobs to the economy or affect the growth of other industries; or (2) they are existing or emerging businesses being transformed by technology and innovation requiring new skills sets for workers.
The sectors include: Advanced Manufacturing, Aerospace, Automotive, Biotechnology, Construction, Energy, Financial Services, Geospatial Technology, Health Care, Homeland Security, Hospitality, Information Technology, Retail, and Transportation.
Funds are to be used to provide job training services and related capacity-building activities that are designed to assist workers in gaining the skills and competencies needed to obtain or upgrade career ladder employment positions in high-growth industries and economic sectors.
In order to facilitate these job training services, funds may be used to assist in the development and implementation of model activities such as developing appropriate curricula to build core competencies and train workers, identifying and disseminating career and skill information, and increasing the integration of community and technical college activities with activities of businesses and the public workforce investment system to meet the training needs for high-growth industries and economic sectors.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
In the majority of grants funded under these programs, applicants may be public, private for-profit, and private nonprofit organizations.
This includes businesses or business-related nonprofit organizations (such as trade associations), Workforce Investment Boards and One-Stop Career Centers, units of state and local government, economic development agencies, education and training providers including community colleges, and other community and faith-based organizations.
However, applicant eligibility may be restricted to one or more applicant classes under particular announcements and solicitations.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Generally, the scope of potential trainees under these programs is very broad. Training may be targeted to a wide variety of populations, including unemployed individuals and incumbent workers.
Credentials/Documentation
Grantees must demonstrate an adequate organizational capacity, both fiscally and programmatically, including a project management structure. Additionally, grantees must provide evidence of the use of data systems to track outcomes in a timely and accurate manner.
Aplication and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
None except as specified in solicitations.
This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.
12372.
Application Procedures
Grants for projects are awarded on a competitive basis, announced in Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGAs) in the Federal Register and also on ETA's Internet website at http://www.doleta.gov. To compete for a grant, organizations develop a proposal and budget that demonstrate how the organization will provide services to a targeted population. The SGA provides all of the necessary information for applying for federal assistance.
Award Procedures
Procedures for each project are specified in the applicable request for proposals. Generally, the procedure is as follows: A technical review panel composed of staff from ETA program offices as well as peer reviewers evaluates eligible submitted applications. The panel prepares a report for the ETA Grant Officer identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the application and the cumulative rating. Once selections are made by the Grant Officer, an Award Notification is sent through the appropriate congressional channels for notification. After awardees are notified, the list of awardees is posted on the ETA website at www.doleta.gov. If an application is rejected, a letter is sent to the applicant as notification that they were not selected as a recipient of the grant.
Deadlines
Specified in the applicable request for proposals, but generally 45 to 60 days from announcement.
Authorization
American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998, Section 414 (c), Public Law 105-227.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
From 90 to 120 days.
Appeals
Procedures for each project are specified in the applicable Solicitation for Grant Applications.
Renewals
Renewals with funds are not available. However, with significant justification ETA may elect to exercise its option to award no-cost extensions to these grants for an additional period at its own discretion, based on the success of the program and other relevant factors.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Some grants are required to provide cash or in-kind matching resources equal to at least fifty percent of the grant funds awarded. Information about match requirements for future grants will be specified in the applicable Solicitations for Grant Applications.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Most projects last one to three years. Payments to grantees are usually made by Letter of Credit draw-down procedures.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
At a minimum, quarterly progress and financial reports and final reports are required.
Additional requirements are included in the solicitation.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised June 27, 2003) Audits of states, local governments, and nonprofit organizations, nonfederal entities that receive financial assistance of $500,000 or more in federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in federal awards are exempt from federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Records
Recipients are required to maintain books, records, documents, and other evidence of accounting procedures and practices sufficient to reflect properly all direct and indirect costs of whatever nature claimed to have been incurred for the performance of the grant. Records are to be retained for 3 years from the date of final payment unless the grant officer authorizes earlier disposal.
Financial Information
Account Identification
16-0174-0-1-504.
Obigations
FY 07 $111,000,000; FY 08 est $125,000,000; and FY 09 est $125,000,000.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
Under the High Growth Job Training Initiative, the majority of grants range from $750,000 to $1.5 million. Under the WIRED Initiative, grants are awarded for either $15 million or $5 million for three years.
Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature
Specified in applicable Solicitation for Grant Applications.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
Contact the nearest Employment and Training Administration regional office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog.
Headquarters Office
Business Relations Group, Office of Workforce Investment, Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave., N.W., Room N-4643, Washington, DC 20210. Contact: Mindy Feldbaum. Telephone: (202) 693-3949, E-mail: businessrelations@dol.gov.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
Criteria for each proposal are specified in the applicable Solicitation for Grant Applications.
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