Owens Announces $1.4 M Federal Health Career Training Grant
PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, OH – Owens Community College has been selected as one of only 32 higher educational consortium groups nationwide to receive a U.S. Department of Labor Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grant for targeted training and workforce development to help economically dislocated workers who are changing careers. Owens, along with nine other community colleges from around the country, will receive a $19.6 million grant for workforce training that targets the health professions.
The $19.6 million grant is part of nearly $500 million in first round of grants to community colleges for job training and workforce development. The U.S. Department of Labor is implementing and administering the program in coordination with the U.S. Department of Education. Owens will receive $1.4 million as part of the three-year grant initiative.
“Owens Community College is honored to be selected by the U.S. Department of Labor to participate in a nationwide initiative that enhances opportunities for student success,” said Dr. Renay Scott, Owens Executive Vice President and Provost. “The U.S. Department of Labor Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grant will enable Owens Community College to expand academic resources within our health programs and to strengthen our partnerships within the Northwest Ohio health care industry. Owens Community College is committed to providing a higher education that meets the needs of students as well as business and industry, and this initiative furthers those efforts for the betterment the region.”
Other academic institutions participating in what is titled the Health Professions Pathways Consortium are Anoka-Ramsey Community College (Cambridge, Minn.), Pine Technical College (Pine City, Minn.), El Centro College (Dallas), Texarkana College (Texarkana, Texas), Ashland Community and Technical College (Ashland, Ky.), Jefferson Community and Technical College (Louisville, Ky.), City Colleges of Chicago (Chicago) and Community College of the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.). Cincinnati State Technical and Community College (Cincinnati) will serve as the lead partner in the Health Professions Pathways Consortium.
“These federal grants will enable community colleges, employers and other partners to prepare job candidates, through innovative programs, for new careers in high-wage, high-skills fields, including advanced manufacturing, transportation, health care and STEM occupations,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.
In addition to the 10 community colleges, the Health Professions Pathways group will include partner employers and agencies whose overall goal is to dramatically improve health professions training. The group’s efforts will focus on providing low-skilled workers with adequate preparation, support and opportunities to complete postsecondary training in health professions that provide credentials aligned with job advancement and expand and enhance the health care workforce with the competencies needed by industry. The partnering academic institutions will also look to build their capacity to continuously assess student and employment outcomes and use this information to improve the quality of health professions programs.
To achieve these goals, the Health Professions Pathways Consortium is replicating a comprehensive model of best practices centered on a career pathways framework and competency-based core curriculum. Specifically, Owens will focus its efforts on academic curriculum and professional development specific to health educational programs, advising, experiential learning resources and employment services, highlighted by an Owens career services representative providing “on-site” career and educational assessment advice to incumbent health professions workers at such health care organizations as ProMedica.
Press Release Contact Name: Brad Meyer
Press Release Contact Email: [email protected]
Organization Name: Owens Community College