Courtney Highlights Wave Of Good News For Eastern CT Manufacturing As CareerConneCT Program Launches With American Rescue Plan Funding

Statement

This week, Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02) helped announce the launch of CareerConneCT, a new workforce training program in Connecticut that's being fueled by the American Rescue Plan Act (H.R. 1319). The CareerConneCT program is modeled after the Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board's (EWIB) Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative (MPI), and utilizes $70 million from the State's total American Rescue Plan funding to provide workers impacted by the pandemic with access to short-term training programs where they can earn industry-recognized credentials, and enter high-quality, in-demand careers in sectors like manufacturing, clean energy, and information technology.

Courtney is a senior member of the House Education and Labor Committee and has been a leader in bipartisan work to strengthen the U.S. workforce for years--from success on bills like the National Apprenticeship Reauthorization Act, to his role as Chairman of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee. The launch of CareerConneCT will complement the signs of growth that eastern Connecticut's manufacturing sector has welcomed home recently, including the most submarine shipbuilding since the 1980's, major opportunities in emerging sectors like offshore wind manufacturing, and new competitive investments to enhance Connecticut's already-successful workforce training programs.

"Eastern Connecticut's Manufacturing Pipeline has placed thousands of people in new careers, and it's bursting at the seams with demand--what better time to duplicate those efforts, and train up thousands more in our state for new careers in fields like manufacturing than right now?" said Rep. Courtney. "CareerConneCT is another great example of where the rubber meets the road for the American Rescue Plan. We've seen Rescue Plan dollars used to support our schools, firefighters, police officers, and many others, it's helped lots of our local businesses stay open, and now support is here when we need it to redouble our already-successful workforce training efforts--which is great news with so much opportunity now on the horizon."

"CareerConneCT is modeled directly after EWIB's Manufacturing Pipeline, which has been a blockbuster success," Courtney continued. "I met with EWIB's leadership this week, and once again they reported being overwhelmed with demand from people looking to earn new career skills. That lines up perfectly with all the work opportunity we've got coming down the pike. It's great to see the American Rescue Plan being used to expand EWIB's successful model, and now they're working alongside the Connecticut Office of Workforce Strategy on a grant for a portion of $500 million in Rescue Plan funding to expand job training in eastern Connecticut even further. Congratulations to them on all the success, and to Kelli-Marie Vallieres, Executive Director of OWS, for an excellent selection in partnering with EWIB. My office will continue to strongly support their grant application."

CareerConneCT is administered by the Connecticut Office of Workforce Strategy, and is modeled after EWIB's nationally recognized MPI. Under the program, training providers are eligible to apply for grants over the next four years to design programs that provide industry-recognized credentials and job placement services across several sectors, including manufacturing, information technology, healthcare, infrastructure, clean energy, and other in-demand industries. The program is anticipated to support training for approximately 8,000 participants, and the first application round is now open. Click here to learn more.

Rep. Courtney has worked for years to grow and support eastern Connecticut's and manufacturing workforce, and to prepare the region to take on emerging economic opportunities. Courtney secured some of the first-ever federal funding to start EWIB's Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative (MPI) in 2015. In his dual role as a senior member of the Education and Labor Committee and Chairman of the Seapower Subcommittee, he's advanced legislation to reinvest in and expand apprenticeship programs, and to support eastern Connecticut's undersea logistics industry.

On Wednesday, the CT Mirror published an op-ed written by Rep. Courtney focusing on President Biden's move to support the industrial base and Virginia-class submarine production. Courtney noted that President Biden's December 21st Presidential Determination was the latest in a series of great news for the region's manufacturing workforce, including a 2022 NDAA that contained the most funding for submarine construction since the 1980's, and brand-new potential opportunities for U.S. shipbuilders through AUKUS.

In December, Courtney welcomed the news that the Army Corps of Engineers had officially approved the permit to begin work for revitalization of State Pier New London. The permit issued by the Army Corps to the Connecticut Port Authority allows for work to begin on upgrading the pier into a state-of-the-art facility capable of acting as a central hub for New England in the emerging clean energy manufacturing and offshore wind industry.

Courtney also recently helped announce that seCTer, one of eastern Connecticut's largest economic engines, was awarded $500,000 in federal funding and named as a finalist for up to $100 million for wind energy workforce development grants. The grants are being issued as part of the Department of Commerce's American Rescue Plan-funded "Build Back Better Regional Challenge", and are authorized specifically for projects designed to accelerate economic growth in coordination with industry and community partners. seCTer's application would bring historic support home to develop eastern Connecticut's clean energy manufacturing workforce and industry, and was modeled after the successful design of the EWIB's MPI.

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