Thanks to a $4.4 million grant from the US Labor Department,
Capital Area Michigan Works! will soon roll out a new technical skills training program. During the initial grant period, the Tech Knowledge E-Pathways program could train up to 350 individuals in computer science.
The program, which is an initiative through CAMW! and the Capital Area IT Council, will leverage
several new and existing programs available through Lansing Community College including shorter-term technical training
“The idea behind the program was to create a career and education pathway related to
information technology,” says CAMW!’s IT Council Director Chris Knapp, “specifically focusing on the track that leads to 4-year Computer Science degrees.”
Tech Knowledge E-Pathways, which is set to begin soon now that the grant has been received, will provide education, training and job placement assistance in high-growth fields in which employers are currently using the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program to hire foreign workers. Ideal candidates for the training include high school students, those with outdated IT skills, unemployed and underemployed individuals.
“In basic terms, the Tech Knowledge E-Pathways program will create new points of entry and provide support for people to plug into, and advance along the career and education pathway toward securing employment,” says Knapp.
Michigan was one of 20 states and CAMW! was the only workforce development agency to receive the Department of Labor Grant, which was made available through the Technical Skills Training Grant Competition.
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