Gov. Doyle: Announces nearly $2.3 million in funding to assist displaced workers

Contacts: Laura Smith, Office of the Governor, 608-261-2162

John Dipko, Department of Workforce Development, 608-266-6753

MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle today announced $2,274,814 in federal funding to help over 300 displaced Wisconsin workers find new jobs and improve their skills. The On-the-Job Training National Emergency Grants (OJTNEG) – awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor – are being made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“This grant will help working families hit hard by the national recession to find new jobs and improve their skills,” Governor Doyle said. “I want to thank Senator Kohl, Senator Feingold and Congressman Dave Obey, as well as Secretary Solis and the Obama Administration, for their work to help ensure that Wisconsin workers are job-ready as the economy recovers.”

The OJTNEG grants will provide workers with an opportunity to develop critical job skills while also earning a paycheck. Employers participating in the projects will receive partial reimbursement to offset the cost of training these workers. The projects will help workers become proficient in necessary skills more quickly and encourage employers to hire workers sooner, improving employers’ bottom lines and spurring economic recovery.

Since taking office, Governor Doyle has worked hard to build Wisconsin’s economy and create new jobs, including last month’s signing of the Wisconsin CORE Jobs Act, which builds on successful manufacturing and worker training programs. The budget the Governor signed last year enacted the most powerful economic development tools in the country to help manufacturers create and retain jobs. The Governor’s Administration has also helped workers struggling because of the national recession by providing unemployment assistance and training, health care and food assistance.

The Recovery Act has helped every state, including Wisconsin, deal with the most difficult national economic times since the Great Depression, while paving the way for future economic growth. In Wisconsin, the Recovery Act has been credited with creating or retaining more than 44,000 jobs.

Since the program was created, Wisconsin has overseen nearly $1.1 billion in Recovery Act expenditures. Major projects in Wisconsin have included road construction projects, major water infrastructure, and a new high speed rail line that will create thousands of jobs and benefit the state’s economy for generations. Under Governor Doyle’s leadership, Wisconsin is also the only state to direct 100 percent of the Recovery Act’s state energy funds to help the state’s largest manufacturers find savings through energy efficiency and create jobs.

Governor Doyle encourages all affected workers to contact their local Job Center to inquire about services by visiting http://www.wisconsinjobcenter.org/directory or toll free at 1-888-258-9966.

The NEG program provides funding to states when significant events create a sudden need for assistance. National Emergency Grants are part of the Secretary of Labor’s discretionary fund and are awarded based on a state’s ability to meet specific guidelines. For more information, please visit http://www.doleta.gov/NEG.