Ozarka College is excited to announce receipt of a $1.5M grant to begin their Skilled Trades programs at the Melbourne, Arkansas location. The project will support development of Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing and Construction trades to address high demand workforce needs in the Ozarka service area. The project will also support training in construction equipment and the creation of a mobile welding classroom for remote site training throughout the region.
On Thursday, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Arkansas Division of Higher Education (ADHE) Commissioner Ken Warden, and Chief Workforce Officer (CWO) Mike Rogers, awarded 14 recipients nearly $26 million in HIRED training grants to support workforce development efforts.
"We are thrilled to receive this critical funding to expand programs in the skilled trades, " said Dr. Josh Wilson, Ozarka president. "We are grateful for the confidence and accompanying support from the Governor, ADHE, and CWO Mike Rogers and are excited to concentrate even more resources toward developing our local workforce. This is proud day for Ozarka College. "
"There's no one-size-fits-all approach to education and the HIRED Grant Program helps us meet Arkansas students, schools, and businesses where they are, " said Governor Sanders. "These grants will help build the workforce of the future and make Arkansas more competitive in industries such as steel manufacturing, aerospace and defense, lithium, and cybersecurity. "
"These awards directly align with the Arkansas Workforce Strategy by connecting higher education efforts with the needs of Arkansas employers. This is a win for Arkansas. Employers will have the workforce they need and employees will earn higher wages by being better trained, " said Arkansas Division of Higher Education Commissioner Ken Warden.
"Arkansas has a longstanding tradition for innovation, work ethic, entrepreneurship, and the trades. It is the right time to invest regionally in our two- and four-year colleges. Employers are asking for specific short-term training and higher education degrees. Part of it is going back to our roots, but also pioneering new spaces, " said Chief Workforce Officer Mike Rogers.
The Governor and the Department of Commerce announced $48 million in HIRED training grants in November. The HIRED grants are intended to provide funding for state and regional industry-driven partnerships and data-driven education and workforce training programs. Funding for the grants comes from Arkansas Workforce Initiative grant funding and federal funds.
The grants were awarded as part of the Higher Industry Readiness through Educational Development (HIRED) program, using funding that was established by the Workforce Initiative Act of 2015. In total, $88 million is available through the HIRED Grant program's two tracks, which are separately administered through the Arkansas Department of Commerce and the Arkansas Division of Higher Education.
For more information about the new and expanded technical offerings at Ozarka, please contact Marcus Orf, director of workforce development at 870.994.0996 or marcus.orf@ozarka.edu. If you would like to learn ways in how to support these programs, please contact Dr. Wilson at 870.368.2059 or at advancement@ozarka.edu.
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