The purpose of this grant opportunity is to create economic mobility, address historic inequities for marginalized communities of color and other underserved and underrepresented communities, and…

The purpose of this grant opportunity is to create economic mobility, address historic inequities for marginalized communities of color and other underserved and underrepresented communities, and produce high-quality employment for workers who reside in the appalachian and delta regions, enabling them to remain and thrive in these communities. Activities performed the swpa HEE project will be coordinated and managed by the southwest corner, TRI-county, and westmoreland-fayette local workforce development boards (lwdb) in southwestern pennsylvania. The swpa HEE is designed to be a direct pipeline to the targeted area's healthcare industry to ensure residents secure stable jobs in high-demand healthcare occupations. Swpa HEE will provide participant support services when needed to ensure participants are assisted in reaching their goals and the goals of swpa HEE. Swpa HEE will provide employer support services to participating healthcare employers. Employer services may vary across each workforce development area but will be primarily structured as a healthcare industry partnership driven by healthcare employers. Each local workforce development area will host its own healthcare industry partnership through its lwdb. This industry partnership will welcome small, medium, and large-sized employers to address industry challenges pertaining to recruitment, retention, training, DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), and more. Deliverables proposed outcomes of swpa HEE include serving at least 275 individuals (approximately 91 individuals per year) during the grant period. Of these 275, at least 175 participants will obtain new/improved employment outcomes. Enrollment is projected to be at least 225 individuals in incumbent worker training, 9 in on-the-job training, 25 in individual training accounts, and 20 in work-based learning. Serving these individuals will lead to meeting the healthcare industry's employment needs, supporting healthcare organizations with newly trained individuals, and providing opportunities for individuals to gain valuable workforce skills and experiences. Intended beneficiary dislocated workers, incumbent workers, and new entrants to the workforce. Subrecipient activities the swpa HEE will look to procure project funding to eligible subrecipients that will provide work-based learning opportunities and programs to new entrants to the workforce. Work-based learning opportunities include but are not limited to high-quality career exploration, career education programs, registered pre-apprenticeship/apprenticeships, work experiences, job shadowing, mentorships, and internships. These subrecipients will have the expertise in outreaching to, recruiting, and serving these populations.