Arkansas Department of Higher Education Commissioner Ken Warden speaks at the Capitol during a press conference announcing grants for workforce training Dec. 19, 2024. (Screenshot from livestream)
The governor and Arkansas Division of Higher Education on Thursday awarded $26.7 million to 14 recipients to support workforce development efforts in the state.
The new Higher Industry Readiness through Educational Development (HIRED) training grant awards are in addition to $48 million distributed by the Arkansas Department of Commerce to 19 recipients last month.
The grants are part of the HIRED program, which was created through the Workforce Initiative Act of 2015. The law established the grant program to address Arkansas’ workforce training needs, and provide dedicated funding to partnerships, education and workforce training programs, according to ADHE.
In total, $88 million is available through the program’s two tracks, which are separately administered through the division of higher education and state commerce department, according to a press release from the governor’s office.
Through an executive order in 2023, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders created the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet, which developed a report this year that outlines steps for growing and developing Arkansas’ workforce.
During Thursday’s formal announcement of grant recipients at the Capitol, ADHE Commissioner Ken Warden said the cabinet empowered officials to work across state agencies to make the biggest impact with the money available.
“These grants are a win for our state,” Warden said. “It’s a win for our employers, as they’re going to have the talented and competent workforce they need, and it’s a win for individuals and for families because it’s going to enable them with more skills, enable them to earn higher wages, which is what we want. We want opportunities for all Arkansans to prosper.”
The list of Thursday’s grant recipients are below:
Track 1 HIRED Grant Recipients:
-Arkansas State University-Beebe, $2,300,000
-Arkansas State University-Three Rivers SCCTC, $2,000,000
-Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus, $2,750,000
-Black River Technical College with Arkansas Delta Training and Education Consortium (ADTEC), $1,675,000
-Ozarka College, $1,550,000
-Southern Arkansas University-Magnolia, $2,750,000
-University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College, $2,500,000
-University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton, $2,000,000
-University of Arkansas-Data Science, $750,000
-University of Arkansas at Little Rock-Cybersecurity, $750,000
-University of Arkansas at Monticello- Crossett, $2,000,000
Combined Track Proposals:
-Arkansas State University-Jonesboro, Arkansas Northeastern College, Arkansas State University-Newport, $3,000,000
-University of Arkansas-Semiconductors, $1,000,000
-University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, $1,700,000
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