The Indiana Department of Workforce Development announced it received a $10.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to connect employers with dislocated Hoosier workers. The money comes from the Quality Jobs, Equity, Strategy, and Training Disaster Recovery (QUEST) grant program which targets high-quality jobs in infrastructure, environment and climate, the care economy and other critical and growing sectors.
“The demand for a skilled and talented workforce continues to be high, and we have an opportunity to work with Indiana employers, understand their workforce needs and connect them with the employees they desire,” said DWD Commissioner David J. Adams. “With this funding, we can create a better pipeline for developing talent that ensures Hoosier workers receive the necessary skills and abilities to compete and thrive with employers in Indiana’s changing economic landscape.”
DWD will utilize the grant funding to strategically partner with the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and others to develop a comprehensive outreach strategy with Indiana employers to target populations disproportionately impacted by the economic inequities exacerbated by the pandemic.
For the employer population, DWD will prioritize work with employer partners in identified, high-demand recovering sectors, and in emerging sectors such as renewable energy, electric vehicle technologies and semiconductor production.
Authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, Dislocated Worker Grants temporarily expand the service capacity of dislocated worker programs by providing funding assistance in response to large, unexpected economic events that cause significant job losses. On July 5, 2022, the department announced the availability of funds for QUEST Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker grants of up to $15 million per applicant.
