Federal grant will help train Connecticut’s ‘dislocated’ workers, unemployed veterans

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy today (Sept. 19) announced that the U.S. Department of Labor has awarded a $12 million “consortium” grant to five community colleges and Eastern Connecticut State University and Charter Oak State College to help “dislocated” workers, veterans and other “under-employed” train for careers in the health services field.

The job-training program will allow participants to earn certifications, industry-recognized credentials and associate degrees.

The grant is funded under the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grants Program at the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.

“Healthcare and the life sciences are two sectors of our economy that are poised to grow in the coming century,” said Gov. Malloy.

“That’s the reason we have vigorously pursued companies like Jackson Laboratories and Alexion to relocate and expand in our state. The more we can solidify Connecticut’s role as a leader in these industries, the more our residents will have access to good paying jobs with good benefits. And thanks to today’s announcement, we’re going to be able to have the workforce in place to really make this vision a reality.”

Some of the certifications that students in these programs may be able to earn include:

Biomedical Equipment Technician

Biomedical Informatics

Bioscience Manufacturing Technician

Health Information Technician

Instrument Calibration Technician

Occupational Health & Safety Technician

Quality Assurance Technician

Quality Control Technician

Respiratory Therapy Technician

Surgical Technologist

Some of the Associate Degrees students may be able to earn include:

Bioscience Manufacturing Technologist

Health Information Technologist

Medical Coder (Inpatient)

Occupational Health and Safety Specialist

Quality Assurance Specialist

Quality Control Specialist

For a link to the PDF document with specifics on the grant proposal, click here .

Some excerpts from the grant proposal:

• will increase the use of online and technology-enabled learning through online and mobile app math and science booster modules, self-assessments and feedback surveys embedded in online course modules, online workplace skills assessment and development tools, and the migration of courses to online and hybrid delivery.

• will enable 675 students to earn 10,000+ college credits for work, military and other experience that provides competencies equivalent to those gained in college courses, accelerating the progress of workers, improving retention and achievement rates, and reducing time to completion.

• will expand the Connecticut Credit Assessment Program to recognize credits earned in other institutions and settings, and promote PLAs [Prior Learning Assessments] in workplaces.

• recruitment and placement strategies will help 360 students obtain internships and provide 2,000 participants with job placement services.

Employer partners in this project include Connecticut United for Research Excellence (CURE) – the statewide bioscience growth council with 100+ employer members; Connecticut Hospital Association; Jackson Laboratory; Saint Francis Hospital; Eastern Connecticut Health Network; Greenwich Hospital; John Dempsey Hospital (University of Connecticut Health Center); Stamford Hospital; Yale-New Haven Hospital.

The University of Connecticut and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving are also partners in this program.

Robert A. Kennedy, President of the Board of Regents for Higher Education, which governs the 17 Connecticut state colleges and universities said, “I am particularly pleased that our proposal was submitted collaboratively by a state university, our only public, online college and five community colleges. This is exactly the kind of partnership we need to focus on now that we’re one, combined organization.

“I also appreciate the extraordinary amount of industry support we received – from hospitals across the state to CURE to Jackson Laboratory. Our private sector partners understand that with 96,000 students in our institutions, we have the capacity to train and prepare the workers they need,” Kennedy said.

Posted September 19, 2012, based on a press release and copy of the grant proposal

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