WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/

The U.S. Department of Labors Employment and Training Administration today announced a new competition to build the capacity of the energy industry by providing potential workers with skills-based job training at the regional level.

There is a shortage of energy workers in this country. This $10 million grant competition under the Presidents High Growth Job Training Initiativewill help workers access the training they need to get good paying jobs in the growing energy industry, said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao.

This competition for $10 million in funding, held under the auspices of the Presidents High Growth Job Training Initiative, is open to public, private for-profit and private nonprofit organizations, including faith-based and community groups. Applicants must clearly identify the nature of their organizations and describe their capacity to deliver energy and skilled trades training. Proposed strategies should be based on existing workforce development models and promising practices in a particular region, or they should be adapted from successful strategies already in place in another region.

Proposed training strategies must: target skills and competencies in demand by the energy industry; provide participants with pathways to long-term career growth; and result in participants earning an energy industry-recognized degree or license proving a level of competence or mastery in a given job.

The energy industry accounts for four percent of the nations gross domestic product and employs more than one million workers nationwide. Impending retirements, coupled with inadequate numbers of new workers entering energy-related careers, have created a need for innovative training strategies. Energy industry growth is currently hindered by a shortage of skilled trade and construction workers who are needed to build new infrastructure, install equipment, operate facilities and make repairs to existing structures.

This Solicitation for Grant Applications appears in todays Federal Registerand will be available online at http:// www.grants.gov. This competition will close March 25 at 4 p.m. EST. A Webinar for prospective applicants will be held online on February 1. For information on how to participate, visit http:// www.workforce3one.org.

U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at http://www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at 202-693-7828 or TTY 202- 693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing Americas employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit www.dol.gov/compliance .

SOURCE U.S. Department of Labor

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