The University of Arkansas is partnering with multiple state entities on a new workforce development initiative aimed at identifying and providing job training to Arkansans impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The university will be partnering with the Arkansas Workforce Development Board and the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services, in addition to Shorter College and iDatafy.
The Arkansas Workforce Development Board and the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services have received a $13,579,455.83 grant for the Reimagine Arkansas Workforce Project. This program will pay tuition and fees for selected Arkansans to enroll in programs at the University of Arkansas and Shorter College.
This funding is intended to impact individuals who have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. Individuals who are unemployed, underemployed, underrepresented, incarcerated, paroled on probation or who are in rural areas could qualify for the program.
“The U of A is committed to serving the educational needs of Arkansans, and that includes those who need workforce development to thrive during this public health crisis, Cheryl Murphy, vice provost for distance education and head of the Global Campus, said in a statement.
This federal grant was funded through the Education Stabilization Fund, which is part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
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