DOL Awards Utah More Than $8M Over Last 60 Days

None by KCPW

Federal Grants Facilitates Biotech Workforce Education

(KCPW News) Department of Labor Grants totaling $8.2 million have come Utah's way in the last 60 days. The federal money will be used to further develop education programs designed to create a pipeline of highly-skilled talent for Utah's bio-technology and bio-manufacturing industries:

"Part of the core is a program that is currently at Salt Lake Community College, it's run by Dr. Tammy Goetz, and it's around bio-tech and bio-manufacturing. It is looking at ways to engage a workforce earlier, and to get them through some essential education and training and out into the workforce sooner, quicker, faster," according to Pat Vaughn, director of the Governor's Office of Economic Development's Talent Access Program.

Vaughn says the grant money is part of the Department of Labor's Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development Initiative - or WIRED - and will facilitate cradle-to-grave education and training in the sciences. In addition, she says it will strengthen the relationship between educators, students and business in Utah - "our I-15 biotech corridor," Vaughn calls it.

The Governor's Office of Economic Development along with the Department of Workforce Services and several other partners have been working with the Department of Labor for a year on this education pipeline program.

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