States Commit to Worker Training Programs for Economic Growth

Recognizing the benefits of a skilled workforce to match the new manufacturing and high-tech jobs of the 21st Century, states are turning to worker training and retraining programs in order to remain economically competitive. During the past month, Tennessee, Nebraska and Connecticut committed a combined total of $37 million for worker training initiatives.

The Tennessee legislature approved Gov. Phil Bredesen's 2005 jobs package, which includes $20 million to expand job training across the state and develop a statewide broadband strategy. House Bill 2287 establishes the FastTrack infrastructure development and job training assistance fund within the Department of Economic and Community Development. Funds will be used for infrastructure development and job training assistance grants and loans.

Lawmakers in Nebraska agreed to authorize $15 million from the rainy day fund to provide job training under the Nebraska Customized Job Training Advantage. Gov. Dave Heineman referred to the initiative as a "vital recruitment tool" for broader job creation in the state. The initiative is meant to provide a flexible, discretionary custom job-training program to help ensure the workforce is prepared for advances in rapidly changing industries.

In a more technologically targeted initiative to strengthen Connecticut's aerospace and defense industry supplier base, Gov. Jodi Rell announced a $2 million, two-year program that will use "lean manufacturing," a process that analyzes the flow of information and materials to boost productivity and efficiency. The Department of Economic and Community Development will manage the initiative, which aims to help create jobs for the state's small- and medium-sized suppliers. Manufacturing accounts for 15 percent of the state's economic output and this investment can pay dividends for years to come, Gov. Rell said. State funding will partially reimburse the approximately 200 companies expected to participate for training expenses.