Collins, King Announce Nearly $2.5 Million to Support Job Training Programs for Displaced Workers in Maine

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King September 29th announced that Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC) will receive $2,499,977 in federal funding from the Department of Labor (DOL) to support and expand ongoing efforts to train displaced workers, including those eligible for Trade Adjustment Assistance. The KVCC project, titled “Advancing Healthcare and Construction Careers in Mid-Maine,” will support job training programs in the construction, healthcare and social assistance industries.

“This grant represents an important investment in the development of Maine’s workforce,” said
Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “The funding will bolster Kennebec Valley Community College’s effort to provide displaced workers in Kennebec, Knox and Somerset Counties with the skills they need to find a new job.”

This award is part of a larger $450 million grant announcement from the DOL, which will provide federal funding to community colleges and universities across the country for the development and expansion of innovative training programs conducted in partnership with local employers. These grants are through the DOL’s Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grant Program, a nearly $2 billion initiative focusing on training programs for unemployed workers, particularly those effected by foreign trade.