Labor department wants ideas on job creation
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- December
- 3
If you’ve got good ideas for promoting work force development across the Westchester-Fairfield border, the U.S. Labor Department has up to $2.5 million to make them happen.
Two public events, billed as town hall meetings, are planned in Westchester on Thursday to explain what the program is about and how to apply for funds. The first takes place from 10 a.m. to noon at the Yonkers Public Library at 1 Larkin Plaza. The second takes place from 2-4 p.m. at Berkeley College at 99 Church St. in White Plains.
The meetings are aimed at consultants, schools, government agencies, and anyone else with an interest in helping the two counties solve the shared challenge of labor needs in the 21st century.
The Labor Department is looking for programs that address the issue regionally. Applicants will want to prepare proposals that will operate in both Westchester and Fairfield County, Conn. Of particular interest are ideas that pair up stakeholders, such as higher education and consulting firms.
The Labor Department awarded $5 million this year for the three-year project, called Talent for Growth WIRED (Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development.)
The WorkPlace Inc., a work force development board in southwestern Connecticut, is lead agency. Business and government officials from both sides of the state line are involved.
The WorkPlace will put out a request for work force proposals in January. A steering committee appointed by regional elected officials will review the proposals and make recommendations. Additional cycles of requests for proposals are planned.
The idea of cross-border cooperation is gaining more attention. On Wednesday, Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano will speak at the Stamford Westin Hotel to members of Fairfield County’s business community about the Westchester marketplace and its economic outlook, focusing on work force and demographic issues.
For more information on WIRED, contact Lisa Mercurio at the Business Council of Fairfield County in Stamford at 203-705-0683, or email lmercurio@businessfairfield.com
This entry was posted
on Monday, December 3rd, 2007 at 6:15 pm by Jerry Gleeson.
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