US Department of Labor awards $11.6M in grants to improve delivery of workforce services, measure effectiveness in five states

Grants awarded to Arkansas, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi and New Mexico

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today the award of five grants totaling $11.6 million to improve the delivery of training and employment services, and measure their effectiveness in Arkansas, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi and New Mexico.

Administered by the Employment and Training Administration, the Workforce Data Quality Initiative grants will support the development and expansion of workforce longitudinal databases and enhance their ability to share performance data with stakeholders. The databases include information on programs that provide training and employment services and obtain similar information in the service delivery process.

“Investment in evidence-based approaches to support workers is essential to connecting job seekers with the right skills for good-quality jobs,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Suzi Levine. “Workforce Data Quality Initiative grants help states increase the capacity of workforce development programs and improve the quality and range of workforce data to benefit workers, job seekers and employers.”

The recipients of the WDQI grants are as follows:

Arkansas Division of Workforce Services, Little Rock, Ark., $2,510,575 Indiana Department of Workforce Development, Indianapolis, Ind., $2,500,610; Maryland Department of Labor, Baltimore, MD, $1,799,422; Mississippi Department of Employment Security, Jackson, Miss., $2,510,575; New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, Albuquerque, NM, $2,278,818.