Vice President Joe Biden announced the recipients of $450 million in grants designed to help community colleges and other institutions of higher education provide better job training for students. The grants will go to almost 270 higher education institutions, and are intended to provide funding for partnerships with employers in industries like information technology, health care, energy and advanced manufacturing.
The announcement was made in a televised hearing Monday morning.
“This is not some kind of gift. This is an investment in school leaders, in businesses, in people who are trying to do things in a very, very different way,” said Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “I’ve been to dozens and dozens of community colleges, and they are some of the most inspiring visits that I have, anywhere I go.”
The grants the different institutions were awarded varied widely. Among the hundreds of institutions, Massasoit Community College, in Brockton, Massachusetts, was given $20 million. Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia, received over $3 million.
Funding for the grants come from the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) competitive grant program. The Department of Labor and the Department of Education co-administer the program.
“The joint venture that the Department of Education and the Department of Labor have is indeed a joint venture, because, for so many people, the K-12 system is already in the rear view mirror and the challenge for us to make sure that the jobs of the 21st century are accessible to all of them,” said Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez.
