DWS to award $1 million in Talent Ready Utah grants

The Utah Department of Workforce Services has announced $1 million in grants designed to better meet the state’s skilled workforce needs. Talent Ready Utah grants are designed to strengthen collaboration between industry, education and economic development leaders to create talent pipelines for high-demand, high-wage occupations.

“With today’s hot economy, more than ever it is essential for education and industry to work together to solve workforce challenges,” said Jon Pierpont, executive director of the Department of Workforce Services. “This year’s grant winners have demonstrated a spirit of collaboration between industry and education with the overall objective to build Utah’s workforce.”

The grants will bolster programs sponsored by Salt Lake Community College, Carbon High School, Davis Technical College, Southern Utah University, Tooele Technical College, Utah State University and Weber State University, as well as an internship program with the Rural Water Association of Utah. One of the featured grants went to the Salt Lake Community College- sponsored Horizonte Instruction and Training Center’s project on creating a pathway to healthcare professions.

Talent Ready Utah supports the state’s strategy for a qualified workforce in creating a public and post-secondary education system that is more responsive to industry needs. Key initiatives focus on increasing the number of employers who invest in providing high-quality, work-based learning opportunities and by developing a pipeline of talent. Talent Ready Utah grants support the development of these partnerships between industry and education.

“Our goal is to provide more opportunities for our students to succeed,” said Joshua Bell, principle at Horizonte Instruction and Training Center. “By creating a pathway program in the healthcare industry where we know there are high-skilled and high-demand jobs, our students will be on a path to a successful career.”

Talent Ready Utah grants are administered through the Department of Workforce Services with state funds.