Hartford Workforce Board Gets $10M Federal Grant for IT, Manufacturing Training

Capital Workforce Partners (CWP), the state’s workforce development board for Greater Hartford, received a $10 million federal Department of Labor grant to establish a manufacturing and technology training initiative program to increase skilled, in-demand workers in the state.

The workforce board is scheduled to announce the grant at a press conference featuring Gov. Ned Lamont at 11 a.m. today.

CWP said it intends to model the program after an effort currently used by the Eastern CT Workforce Investment Board. That program works closely with Electric Boat and provides free manufacturing industry training based on skills employers say they need in workers.

“The project uses the nationally acclaimed Eastern CT Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative (MPI) as a roadmap to build an IT talent pipeline and deliver demand-driven IT training and credentials, and support services, to un/underemployed workers, and promote skills-based hiring,” CWP’s filing said.

In its grant proposal, CWP said it expects just under 2,100 people to participate in the IT and manufacturing training, and that partners in the effort will include 29 manufacturers (like Electric Boat, General Dynamics and Stanley Black & Decker) and 23 IT and business service companies (including Infosys, GalaxE.Solutions and IT Direct).

“Businesses will participate in regional sector partnerships, ensure demand-driven training, backfill entry-level positions, and adopt skills-based hiring practices,” the filing said.

Additionally, under the program, educational institutions including the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, the University of Connecticut and the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, will provide accelerated, demand-driven training based on employer needs Connecticut’s five workforce development boards — which include CWP — will implement the program, according to the CWP’s grant request.

The grant was part of $145 million in grants DOL awarded to 19 projects aimed at workforce development around the country.