The City of Springfield’s Department of Workforce Development has been selected as one of 32 recipients nationwide for a $17.5 million Good Jobs Challenge grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The grant seeks to spur economic growth and strengthen the pipeline of skilled workers by serving more than 2,800 individuals with job training and placement opportunities over the next three years. It is one of the largest grants ever awarded to the City of Springfield.
The initiative establishes the Quadra-Regional Workforce Alliance (QRWA) which is comprised of four workforce regions encompassing 51 counties in southern, south-central, central and southeast Missouri. The QRWA will target unemployed, underemployed or incumbent workers within the designated area focusing on historically underserved populations to provide job training and placement in areas such as healthcare, transportation, distribution and logistics as well as paraprofessional education services.
“This grant provides us with a tremendous opportunity and could be a game changer,” said Springfield City Manager Jason Gage. “We are incredibly grateful for this opportunity to positively impact the workforce in nearly one-third of the state by creating career pathways and placement in the areas of healthcare, transportation and logistics, distribution and education services,” said Sally Payne, director of Workforce Development for the City. “The need for skilled workers in these areas is critical to easing supply chain demands and bolstering local economies,” Payne added.
Jobs For the Future, a national nonprofit, will play a central role in employer engagement and technical assistance by providing labor market analysis and an economic impact report at the conclusion of the grant. Other major partners include Missouri Hospital Association, CoxHealth, Jordan Valley Community Health Center, Missouri State University, Penmac, Truck Dynasty Driving Academy and 160 Driving Academy.
The 32 winning projects were selected from a competitive pool of 509 applicants. The Department of Workforce Development was also recently awarded a $3 million grant from the Department of Labor to create and expand registered apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships providing equitable access in a 10-county region with a focus on training public safety and education professionals.