Employers, job seekers reminded of Next Level Jobs grants

Hancock Economic Development Council would like to make sure that local employers and job seekers are aware of the following opportunities:

The two programs that make up Next Level Jobs, the Workforce Ready Grant (WRG) and Employer Training Grant (ETG), will have increased eligibility, program offerings and funding caps through December 30, 2020.

Individuals can receive free job training for jobs in high-demand fields through the Workforce Ready Grant and $22 million of CARES Act funding is going toward the WRG, enabling at least 10,000 additional Hoosiers to utilize the grant.

The Workforce Ready Grant, administered by the Commission for Higher Education,will be temporarily expanded in the following ways:

• Hoosiers with two-and four-year degrees are temporarily eligible to receive full tuition reimbursement for short-term Workforce Ready Grant-eligible programs through
• December 30. (Costs incurred beyond that point will not be reimbursed.)
• Nearly 50 new certificates have been approved for addition to the current list of eligible programs. Examples of certificate programs that temporarily qualify for the Workforce
• Ready Grant include Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), Phlebotomy and CNC Machining. Individuals can enroll in some of the new certificate programs now at NextLevelJobs.org with additional programs available for enrollment on the site in the coming weeks. Certificate programs have been selected based on meeting immediate, regional, and emerging workforce needs. Ivy Tech, Vincennes, and the Department of Workforce Development all added programs to the list.
• The funding cap per individual has been raised from $5,500 to $10,000 to cover high-quality programs that cost more than $5,500 (with program cost frozen at its current level)
   

The Employer Training Grant, administered by the Department of Workforce Development,supports employers to train new employees, and upskill or reskill incumbent workers. The Employer Training Grant will be temporarily expanded in the following ways, with $15 million of CARES Act funding, enabling 25,000 more Hoosiers to utilize the grant:

The maximum amount of funding available to an employer has been raised from $50,000 to $100,000.
$5 million will be allocated specifically for minority-, women-,and veteran-owned businesses.
To get more information and enroll in Next Level Jobs, visit NextLevelJobs.org.

Individuals looking to connect with education, employment, and financial resources available in Indiana are encouraged to visit Indiana’s Rapid Recovery hub, YourNextStepIN.org.

Free one-on-one assistance helping Hoosiers navigate the Workforce Ready Grant is available through INvestEd by calling (317) 715-9007.