Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $23.5 Million to Expand Manufacturing Workforce Training in Ohio Through American Rescue Plan Good Jobs Challenge

Competition Provides Once-In-A-Generation Funding to Locally Driven, Diverse Partnerships to Create and Develop Workforce Training Programs that Support Local Economies

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $23.5 million American Rescue Plan Good Jobs Challenge grant to Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) Educational and Industrial Development Institute, Columbus, Ohio, to grow a diverse, new generation of skilled manufacturing workers in the state.

This project will partner major manufacturers and community-based organizations to recruit and retain women and other individuals from underrepresented populations, as well as residents of Appalachian coal communities, for training opportunities that will lead to quality careers in manufacturing. With partnerships from over 100 employers, the program will help diversify the manufacturing industry.

“President Biden is committed to expanding training opportunities for more Americans to secure good-paying jobs,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This EDA investment strengthens the critical manufacturing sector in Ohio by building a strong pipeline of skilled workers that employers need to stay competitive.”

“The Good Jobs Challenge is bringing together diverse partners and local leaders to advance workforce training programs across the country,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “Led by the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) Educational and Industrial Development Institute, this project creates new high-paying job opportunities that ensures that economic prosperity reaches all pockets of Ohio and Appalachia.”

“We need to build an economy that empowers workers: that means making real investments to expand access to quality jobs and workforce training,” said Senator Sherrod Brown. “This Good Jobs Challenge investment, made possible by the American Rescue Plan, is allowing communities like Columbus to provide more opportunities for Ohio workers.”

“Manufacturing is the backbone of Ohio, employing the hardworking men and women who make, build, and grow America,” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09). “Today, the American Rescue Plan is delivering in a big way to strengthen Ohio’s manufacturing base and instill workers with the high-tech skills they need for in-demand careers. By bringing together workers and industry, the Economic Development Administration’s Good Jobs Challenge grant will position Ohio’s workers to be ready for the good-paying jobs of tomorrow.”

This grant is funded through the American Rescue Plan Good Jobs Challenge. The program awarded grants to 32 worker-centered, industry-led workforce training partnerships across the country. The $500 million program is expanding opportunities for more Americans to access and secure good-paying jobs by investing in innovative approaches to advance worker-centered, industry-led workforce training partnerships.

The 32 awardee projects were selected from a competitive pool of 509 applicants. By partnering with stakeholders such as labor unions, community colleges and industry, these projects will solve for local talent needs, increase the supply of trained workers and help workers secure jobs in 15 key industries that are essential to U.S. supply chains, global competitiveness, and regional development. Through a holistic, integrated partnership approach, these projects will provide tangible opportunities and security for American workers, focusing on serving and supporting a broad range of underserved communities and connecting workers with the training, skills, and support services needed to successfully secure a good job. For more information on the grantees, please visit our fact sheet. (PDF)

The Good Jobs Challenge is part of a suite of American Rescue Plan programs developed by EDA to equitably distribute its $3 billion allocation to assist communities nationwide in their efforts to 4 a better America by accelerating economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and building local economies that will be more resilient to future economic shocks.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.