Washington — Nov. 3
Training grants from the U.S. Department of Labor are creating new opportunities for American workers to build skills, attain professional credentials and fill job openings in a job market that is calling for greater specialization.
In early October, the Department of Labor announced $159 million in H-1B Technical Skills Training grants to 36 job training and placement programs throughout the country. The program aims to increase access to training and certification for Americans in occupations where specialized skills are needed and demand is highest.
These new grants target high-growth areas such as health care, advanced manufacturing, science, information technology and construction. In many of these fields, professional credentials offer a major advantage, providing an immediately identifiable indicator that the holder has the skills, knowledge and understanding of the field necessary to consistently succeed in that particular job family.
In health care, growing demand for medical care has broadened the range of occupations, requiring increased levels of education and training. Programs funded through the H-1B grants will be able to help more medical professionals advance or transfer to new high-demand occupations. This career pathway is made possible by attaining certifications, licenses, certificates and degrees from accredited programs for medical assistants, therapists, technicians, clinical lab technologists, nurses and other allied health specialties.
The Department of Labor’s H-1B grants can help many Americans receive proper training, attain credentials and build careers in health care and other high-growth, high-skill occupations.
Source: the Institute for Credentialing Excellence and the National Commission for Certifying Agencies
