Kansas workforce alliance granted nearly $10 million for retraining employees
(The Center Square) – The Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas has been awarded a $9.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to assist in educating and improving the skills of Kansas residents who have recently lost jobs because of the pandemic and a pause in Boeing production.
“Over the last year, more than 60,000 jobs were impacted by these two economic emergencies, and many of these jobs will not return, and more and more jobs are requiring specialized technical skills,” Keith Lawing, president and CEO of Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas, told The Center Square. “There are a number of employers in the advanced manufacturing sector and IT businesses that struggle to find skilled workers to help their business grow. This grant will help close that gap and increase the overall skill set of the labor market in the region.”
In the Wichita area, the grant will help workers that were laid off last year because of Boeing’s 737 Max jet production pause and other job seekers who have lost jobs during the COVID-19 crisis.
Lawing said the Wichita area was hit with nearly 10,000 layoffs in early 2020 even before COVID-19 led to business shutdowns. Most of these jobs were high paying. It is hard for workers to find jobs at comparable wages even in good times, Lawing said, but especially when so many employers were cutting jobs due to the pandemic.
“Many of the good-paying jobs that are available require skills or credentials and it has been hard to get into education and training programs with the need for social distancing slowing down classes,” he said.
Training and upskilling will be provided in critical industries including information technology, advanced manufacturing and transportation. These industries provide a significant number of jobs in southern Kansas and are major contributors to the state’s economy.
It is anticipated that the Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas will begin to enroll participants for this grant project in April.
More information about access to employment and training services can be found at workforce-ks.com.
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