The U.S. Department of Labor awarded 72 community college partnerships $125 million for successfully competing under the President's Community-Based Job Training Grants initiative. The institutions selected today will embark on projects in industries ranging from healthcare and construction to advanced manufacturing and energy. A total of 429 entries were submitted in response to a competition announced July 3.

"Community colleges are vital partners in educating and preparing workers for good jobs in their local area," said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. "The $125 million these 72 community college partnerships will receive under the President's Community-Based Job Training Initiative is going to help workers succeed in careers in health care, advanced manufacturing and other growing industries."

Introduced by President Bush in his 2004 State of the Union Address, the primary purpose of Community-Based Job Training Grants is to build community colleges' capacity to equip workers with the skills growing local industries require for success. The first round of these competitive awards was made to 70 successful entities on Oct. 19, 2005.

The 72 grants awarded today will support projects in 34 states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Forty-five states now host such ventures.

"Today's awards recall the imperative that businesses and the workforce system team up with their region's community colleges to ensure that workers are armed with the right skills to thrive in the 21st century economy," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco. "Community colleges are closely tied to the areas they serve, and they have proven themselves adept at responding to the regional workforce demands of numerous industries."

For more information on the Department of Labor's employment and training programs and the President's Community-Based Job Training Grants, please visit http://www.doleta.gov/business/Community-BasedJobTrainingGrants.cfm.