Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell applauded the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) for being awarded a $6 million America’s Promise Job Driven Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. Congresswoman Sewell helped UAB secure the maximum allowed amount of $6 million, which will fund Innovate Birmingham, a partnership led by UAB and composed of 27 regional employers and 14 consortium partners.

“Innovate Birmingham’s consortium partners are among the most successful corporate, academic, and non-profit citizens in Alabama, all of whom realize that our national and global competitiveness is only as strong as our local workforce pipeline,” said Rep. Sewell. “President Obama’s Administration is committed to reforming our nation’s skills infrastructure to meet both the workforce needs of employers and the training needs of job seekers. With this vital funding from the Department of Labor, Innovate Birmingham will be able to meet the demand of the second fastest growing IT workforce in the country by educating and training 925 Birmingham-area disconnected youth for high-wage, high-demand jobs in the industry.”

“The main focus of this effort is to offer new educational opportunities for the young adults in our community to provide them with training and expertise that will enable them to have prosperous, bright futures,” UAB President Ray Watts said. “It will positively change their futures and the futures of their families and communities.”

BACKGROUND ON AMERICA’S PROMISE GRANT

More information on the America’s Promise Grant to Strengthen, Expand Regional Job Training Partnerships can be found here: https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/eta/eta20160606

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