Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition set to receive $930K through federal grant
The Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition is set to receive $930,000 over the next three years through a federal grant to help “close the skilled workforce gap,” according to a Wednesday news release.
The funds are part of a $23.4 million grant awarded to the state of Ohio and the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association through the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s $500 million Good Jobs Challenge program, an OMA news release states.
The Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition “will receive funding from this grant to carry out specific recruiting and upskilling components of OMA’s workforce development action plan in the Mahoning Valley,” an MVMC news release states.
“We had a unique role in helping to shape the focus of the grant, so this investment will enable us to continue the momentum created through our WorkAdvance program, Ohio To Work, apprenticeship and other upskilling efforts,” Jessica Borza, MVMC executive director, said in the release.
The OMA helped establish a statewide network of industry sector partnerships, which includes the MVMC, and each one will receive up to $930,000 through the Good Jobs Challenge grant, the OMA release states. There are 1,654 manufacturers in the network, and 120 businesses submitted letters of commitment to “source new hires” from the initiative, according to the release.
“In total, these employers have indicated a demand for more than 25,000 hires over the next five years at an annual wage of at least $17.60/hour, which reflects the prevailing wages for the initiative’s targeted, in-demand occupations of machining, production, welding, industrial maintenance, and automation and robotics,” the release states.
The grant also includes funding to support Ohio’s Broadband and 5G Sector Partnership.
“By providing Ohioans with opportunities to upskill or be trained in cutting-edge careers, we will grow Ohio’s workforce, especially in the manufacturing, broadband, and electric vehicle sectors,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in the release. “We want to continue to help provide Ohio employers with qualified workers in order to grow their businesses, and this grant will help us do just that.”
The OMA’s full release can be read here.