Governor Blunt Awards Worker Training Grants to Support Growing Industries

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

July 01, 2008

Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290


JEFFERSON CITY– Gov. Matt Blunt announced the award of nearly $3 million in regional workforce grants as part of his Skilled Workforce Initiative. The initiative, now in its third year, continues the successful program, which has helped thousands of Missourians receive technical training that prepares them for career pathways in growth occupations.

“Missourians deserve to know that their leaders are committed to rewarding their work and dedication by providing them opportunities to advance in vital, thriving industries,” Gov. Blunt said. “The recent natural disasters and economic trials have proven how working together toward a common goal can help citizens and communities overcome and prosper. This initiative is an innovative way to bring together business and industry, labor, education, workforce and economic development entities to help build a flourishing economy for Missouri.”

The Skilled Workforce Initiative is administered by the Department of Economic Development’s Division of Workforce Development and funded through the federal Workforce Investment Act. Missouri’s 14 Local Workforce Investment Boards administer the funding on behalf of local partnerships in their area.

This year’s Skilled Workforce Initiative awards were competitively solicited from the Local Workforce Investment Boards to support projects that develop talent acquisition solutions, enhance Missouri Career Centers, and aid businesses recruitment and retention.

The awards are selected based on the various criteria, including program design, collaboration among partnerships, sustainability, and performance outcomes. Division of Workforce Development Director, Dawn Busick said, “By implementing a high-quality, performance-driven training program, we create innovative solutions to critical workforce challenges in industries that drive Missouri’s economy.”

This initiative also builds on Gov. Blunt’s successful Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) grants which are designed to make significant improvements to workforce development and economic transformation through strategic regional alliances.

Gov. Blunt recently signed legislation to support responsible economic development in Missouri and ensure the state remains competitive in the global marketplace. The legislation provides tax credits for companies that implement mega projects in Missouri.

This month the governor signed legislation which contained several major provisions to build on strong economic growth and development in Missouri. The legislation increases the annual cap on the governor’s successful Quality Jobs Tax Credit Program from $40 million to $60 million and among other things increases the amount of tax credits the Missouri Department of Economic Development may authorize for the Enhanced Enterprise Zone Program from $14 million to $24 million.

Economic development legislation passed this year builds on the unparalleled reforms enacted under Gov. Blunt’s leadership. Comprehensive litigation reform enacted under Gov. Blunt’s leadership drove the state to a ten spot jump in a leading national watch group’s ranking. The state’s jump in rank is indicative of the many success stories resulting from Gov. Blunt’ s pro-family, pro-jobs initiatives.

In addition, Gov. Blunt’s workers’ compensation reform measures enacted in 2005 are helping to decrease workers’ compensation rates in the state. The law restored fairness to Missouri’s workers’ compensation system by protecting rights of injured workers without threatening Missouri jobs.

Gov. Blunt has successfully restored order to a broken state budget without raising taxes. He inherited a devastated state economy in January 2005 that was $1.1 billion in the red and had lost 34,000 jobs in the previous four years. Overall, Gov. Blunt’s pro-jobs, pro-growth initiatives have helped Missourians create more than 80,000 new jobs since January 2005.