San Diego Workforce Partnership awarded $6 million grant

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – The San Diego Workforce Partnership was awarded a $6 million grant to improve federal job training programs.

The award was one of 11 handed out nationwide, for a total of $50.7 million, the U.S. Department of Labor announced.

The San Diego Workforce Partnership provides job training, operates career centers, collects local employment data and runs a summer jobs program for youth.

“More than ever, we’re pursuing job-driven training by aligning our programs with the needs of employers and making sure that everything we’re doing is preparing ready-to-work Americans with ready-to-be-filled jobs,” said Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez. “The Workforce Innovation Fund will improve our job training programs by encouraging innovation, identifying what works, and sharing the results and best practices with others.”

Grantees will work with local and regional employers, industry groups and their state commerce and development agencies to strengthen public-private partnerships, according to the Labor Department. In addition, all grants require an evaluation component that will help significantly increase the body of knowledge about the most effective strategies in workforce development.