Sept. 12, 2020
Workforce Alliance is recruiting employers to be reimbursed up to 75% of wages for providing on-the-job training to new hires in full-time, permanent positions filled by those displaced by COVID-related closures or layoffs.
Non-profits, public entities, small and minority-owned businesses are also sought to host temporary workers and interns paid directly by Workforce Alliance who will provide short-term help while gaining experience. Those performing humanitarian or disaster-relief jobs may be in place until as late as June 2021.
“This initiative addresses an immediate need and removes common financial barriers faced by employers who want to rebuild their workforce,” said Bill Villano, President and CEO of Workforce Alliance. “This is one of many ways we’re responding to the COVID-19 crisis and providing meaningful support to connect workers and businesses.”
Interested employers should contact Workforce Alliance’s Business Services Coordinator Wanda Lary at 203-867-4030 x 254. Eligible candidates may include dislocated workers, low income adults or young adults not connected to work or school. On-the-Job training and work experience/internships for those impacted by COVID should complete before the end of 2020. Disaster relief and humanitarian jobs may go to June 2021. All business services are listed at www.workforcealliance.biz/business-services.
Workforce Alliance staff will work with each employer to determine which option best suits their needs.
On-the-job training reimbursements are for employers who hire for permanent positions with defined career pathways. Workforce Alliance will reimburse up to 75% of the wages paid to the new hire during the 8-12 week on-the-job training period while missing skills or knowledge is gained through employment. Jobs in Information Technology, Health Care, or Warehousing/Logistics are in particularly high demand.
Enterprises in need of short-term extra help can bring on work experience and internship candidates paid $15/HR directly by Workforce Alliance. Placements before the end of 2020 may range from 8-12 weeks with flexible scheduling. Longer-term placements are possible for humanitarian or disaster relief jobs filled by people dislocated from their previous jobs due to the pandemic. Wages, payroll functions and worker’s compensation insurance for participants is provided. All participants receive job readiness and digital literacy training prior to placement.
In addition, employees can request support to help with transportation, child care, uniforms, technology and more through the American Job Centers. Interested jobseekers should complete the application form at: https://www.workforcealliance.biz/training-assistance/covid/
Before the end of 2020, Workforce Alliance will also fund hybrid training for close to 100 unemployed or underemployed training program participants to earn industry credentials to fill jobs in high-demand positions such as IT help desk, cyber-security and business analyst; certified nurse aids specially trained to work in long-term care facilities and with the elderly; and warehousing and logistics positions that require OSHA 10 and power industrial forklift certification.
COVID-related services for employers and jobseekers are funded by a National Emergency Disaster Relief Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor and a CT Governor’s Workforce Council COVID-19 Response grant made possible by the federal CARES Act. Eligibility applies.
This press release was produced by GBPR. The views expressed here are the author’s own.
