Congresswoman Matsui Announces $338,000 Federal Grant for Sacramento Job Training Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 23, 2010

CONTACT: MARA LEE
(202) 225-7163

Congresswoman Matsui Announces $338,000 Federal Grant for Sacramento Job Training Program
SETA Will Manage Program for People Pursuing Careers in Transportation, Engineering or Construction

Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento) announced an award of $338,590 to the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA) for construction, transportation and engineering on the job training. Administered through the Federal Highway Administration's On the Job Training and Supportive Services program, funding will promote training opportunities for women and minorities who continue to be underrepresented in the highway construction industry's skilled and semi-skilled crafts, such as masonry and carpentry.

"This is another example of how the Recovery Act is effecting people at the local level, and helping to put Sacramentans back to work," said Congresswoman Matsui. "With so many dislocated workers in the Sacramento region due to the downturn in the economy, training programs like this one are essential to putting them back on a path to good and sustainable careers."

A large portion of this funding will fund pre-apprenticeship training programs through the Northern California Construction Training, Inc. and American River College. Additional funding will be used for recruitment, support services and job placement, areas that often put extra burdens on apprenticeship candidates.

"We are grateful to receive Recovery Act funding from the Federal Highway Administration," said Kathy Kossick, Executive Director of SETA. "This grant will be invested to train individuals for high wage, high demand jobs in the transportation industry."

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