IEC Chesapeake is pleased to share that our Virginia Partners in the Community College and Workforce Development Communities have been awarded a grant from the Department of Labor’s Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs.
A grant application to the Department of Labor’s Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs has been awarded in the amount of $5 million.
The awarded DOL funds will scale successful broadband infrastructure training from Northern Virginia Community College to six other community colleges:
· Reynolds
· Piedmont Virginia
· Laurel Ridge
· Southside Virginia
· Germanna
· Rappahannock
Also scaling programs from the other colleges back to NOVA.
Training and degree programs will help support the workforce needs of key project partner Amazon Web Services (AWS) specifically, and those of the larger broadband industry across the Commonwealth generally. The project this award funds will fall under the auspices of the Virginia Infrastructure Academy.
The project will provide high-quality training along a career pathway focused on the skills, competencies, and credentials needed for middle- to high-skilled occupations in broadband infrastructure and help VCCS better align training and degree programs with broadband industry needs. Grant funds will also support assessment and assistance with wraparound services from community and campus programs, undertake culturally competent outreach and support for target populations, and further diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility at project campuses and among industry partners.
One key project element is funding of three regional coordinator positions that will be responsible for project implementation, program development, deliverables, communication, reporting, and college, employer, and partner engagement, among others.
In addition to the seven colleges and AWS mentioned above, project partners include Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC), VCTA-Broadband Association of Virginia, the Virginia Departments of Housing and Community Development, Workforce Development and Advancement, Education, Aging and Rehabilitative Services, Social Services, Veteran Services, and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership.
IEC Chesapeake values our Educational Partners at Community College Workforce Alliance , J Sargeant Reynolds Community College ,and Germanna Community College in Virginia, and are excited to see what these funds will bring to both these Partners and IEC Chesapeake’s accredited Electrical Apprenticeship classes at these institutions.
Looking forward to what 2024 will bring to electrical apprenticeship in Virginia!
#whatsurcircuit #IECCEducationalPartners
Jenny Boone IEC Chesapeake, Business Development
