The purpose of America's Promise grant program is to strengthen the pipeline of skilled workers to expand an economic region's middle- to high skilled workforce within one or more prioritized H-1B industry sector(s), thereby creating economic opportunities for America's workforce to gain the necessary skills to fill in-demand jobs and increasing the long-term competitiveness of an economic region. To help achieve this goal, the grant will provide individuals the opportunity to get high-quality, tuition free education and training that leads to in-demand and industry-recognized credentials and degrees.
As an effective way to build a skilled workforce that addresses knowledge and skills shortages in specific industry sectors, this program requires applicants to develop new, or expand and strengthen, existing regional workforce partnerships to implement sector strategies and industry partnerships. Sector strategies provide a means to engage directly with multiple employers from a similar industry sector across traditional boundaries. Economic regions do not typically correspond to state, county, local workforce investment area, or municipal boundaries, but rather are defined by the interdependence of their people and organizations. Businesses operate in economic regions that may cross city, county, and state lines and education and economic development areas. Sector strategies work across these boundaries to identify and address specific workforce needs in almost every industry. As such, sector strategies focus on organizing multiple employers from a high growth industry sector that collectively define their skill needs and the credentials they use to make hiring and advancement decisions. In addition, sector strategies can help to align state programs and resources for employers and workers in a region by aligning the regional workforce system's training programs to adapt to employer skill needs through sector-based career pathways.
A fundamental goal of America's Promise is to accelerate the development of new and the expansion of existing 21st century regional workforce partnerships with business and industry leaders committed to providing a pipeline of skilled workers in a specific industry sector(s). These partnerships will bring together industry leaders with senior level leadership from workforce and economic development, secondary and post-secondary education, elected officials, and other important community stakeholders.
These partnerships will be focused on four key priorities:
- Increasing opportunities for all Americans: By 2020, an estimated 35 percent of job openings will require at least a bachelor's degree and another 30 percent will require at least some college or an associate's degree. Unfortunately with the rising costs of higher education, pursuing post-secondary education is not an affordable option for many, including low-income or lower skilled workers. Grantees will be developing strategies that increase tuition-free opportunities for unemployed, underemployed, and incumbent workers – including disadvantaged populations such as low-income, underrepresented in the targeted industry (including women and minorities), dislocated workers, and other populations with employment barriers – into middle-to high-skilled occupations and industries. These strategies will encompass income and support needs, and preparatory training needed to support the targeted populations' attainment of middle- to high-skilled employment. Up to 25 percent of participants served by applicants may be incumbent workers, particularly lower-skilled and lower-wage workers who need training to upgrade their skills.
- Expanding employer engagement: The Regional Workforce Partnerships will actively engage a range of employers and partners committed to participating in the sector strategies. Grantees will secure commitments for deep employer involvement in various aspects of program design and delivery, including defining program goals and activities; identifying career pathways; informing training design; identifying necessary skills and competencies for targeted occupations; providing resources to support training, such as instructors, funding, and offering innovative and creative ways for skills attainment through work-based learning and customized upskilling strategies including OJT, registered apprenticeship, paid-work experience, and/or paid internship opportunities; and considering hiring trainees after program completion.
- Using evidence-based design: There is growing evidence that sector strategies can increase the employability, employment, earnings, and outcomes of job seekers, and at the same time benefit employers through improved worker productivity, job retention, and enhanced profitability. For applicants that already have sector strategies in place, the program is interested in seeing data and demonstration of strong outcomes for job seekers and employers alike.
- Leveraging and aligning additional resources: Another important aspect of sector strategies and this program will be the improved alignment and use of Federal resources, particularly those invested in a region through the Administration's place-based initiatives. These include Federally-supported sector programs, such as EDA's Investing in Manufacturing Community Partnership (IMCP) communities, Department of Transportation's (DOT) Ladders programs, Department of Energy's (DOE) Energy Jobs Strategy Council programs, DOL's Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program, Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, Registered Apprenticeship programs, and other applicable sector-based and place-based efforts. Projects developed through this program should be aligned with and build upon, but not duplicate, the WIOA Plan sector strategies. Leveraged resources are a critical component of the project design, and in addition to leveraging federal resources, applicants should also seek to leverage private, public, and foundation resources to ensure resources are sufficient to meet the service and training needs of all participants served.
Apprenticeships: Closing the Skills Gap is the latest in a long line of Department of Labor H-1B visa funded workforce development grant opportunities featuring partnerships between employers, workforce development groups, and education and training providers. Previous iterations of this grant and their awardees are as follows: