Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced nearly $2.4 million in workforce grants for 24 organizations to help adults facing barriers to employment find and keep in-demand, career-path employment.

Women's Economic Security Act (WESA) Grants – totaling $1.4 million – provide services that encourage and assist women to enter high-wage, high-demand, nontraditional occupations including but not limited to those in the skilled trades and Information Technology occupations. Adult Support Services Competitive Grants – totaling $950,000 – fund new or enhanced services such as job training, employment preparation, internships, job assistance to parents, financial literacy and academic and behavioral interventions for adults. Grants under this program must focus on low-income communities, adults from families with a history of intergenerational poverty and communities of color. Together, grantees expect to serve more than 830 Minnesotans through these programs.

"WESA and Adult Support Services are two of DEED's high-impact workforce development programs to provide specialized training to Minnesotans looking for work," said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. "In partnership with organizations around the state, we're helping Minnesotans gain work-ready skills and find new jobs – strengthening Minnesota families, communities and the entire economy."

"Creating opportunities for all Minnesotans to reach their full employment potential helps individuals and their families establish economic stability and build generational wealth, and it helps our entire state economy by utilizing our state's greatest economic resource: our workers," said DEED Deputy Commissioner Marc Majors. "Encouraging women who face barriers to employment in finding fulfilling work in high-demand, high-wage, non-traditional occupations or industries will help individuals and families thrive. Providing support services to people to help them prepare for and find family-sustaining employment makes a positive difference for communities throughout the state."

"Minnesota Training Partnership is honored to again receive WESA grant funding to help prepare encourage and support women in entering non-traditional, high-demand and high-paying employment," said Minnesota Training Partnership (MTP) Executive Director Jerome Balsimo. "Achieving union employment in the trades can completely change a person's life by providing family-sustaining wages on a strong career path."

Here's one example of how WESA has helped a Minnesotan facing barriers to employment: A person who had earned a heavy equipment operator certification while incarcerated enrolled in the Minnesota Training Partnership (MTP) WESA program after her release, with the goal of becoming a heavy equipment operator through an apprenticeship with the Operating Engineers Local 49. MTP helped the participant find part-time employment, participate in additional training and get necessary work clothing. She was able to then obtain full-time employment with a local non-profit organization at $18.00 per hour driving a large truck to pick up mattresses for recycling. Within two weeks, she was leading her own route. She continues to strive toward her goal of becoming a union heavy equipment operator.

Grantees receiving these funds connect with participants in various ways. People interested in WESA, Adult Support Services, and other programs to help them prepare for good jobs should contact a CareerForce location near them. CareerForce location contact information can be found at CareerForceMN.com/locations or by calling 651-259-7500.

Grantees include:

Women's Economic Security Act (WESA) Grantees:

Community Action Duluth - $100,000

Dunwoody College, Minneapolis - $140,000

EMERGE, Minneapolis - $160,000

Minnesota Training Partnership (MTP), St. Paul - $200,000

National Able Network, Minneapolis - $200,000

Northwest Indian Community Development Center (NWICDC), Bemidji - $200,000

Somali Community Resettlement Services (SCRS), Minneapolis - $175,000

Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council (SWMN PIC), Marshall - $150,000

Washington County - $100,000

Adult Support Services Grantees:

Accessibility, Minneapolis - $90,000

African Community Services, Minneapolis - $60,000

Community Action Duluth - $50,000

Global Fatherhood Foundation, Brooklyn Park - $50,000

Hired, Minneapolis - $50,000

International Institute of Minnesota, St. Paul - $50,000

Lakes and Prairies Community Action Partnership, Moorhead - $50,000

Lutheran Social Services, St. Paul - $50,000

Minnesota Valley Action Council, Mankato - $50,000

Neighbors Inc., South St. Paul - $60,000

Northwest Indian Community Development Center (NWICDC), Bemidji - $60,000

Somali Community Resettlement Services (SCRS), Minneapolis - $60,000

South Sudanese Foundation, Moorhead - $50,000

Summit Academy, Minneapolis - $60,000

Tasks Unlimited, Minneapolis - $50,000

Twin Cities Rise, Minneapolis - $60,000

Winona County - $50,000