LANSING – A 39 percent reduction in Michigan’s federal Workforce Investment Act funding means few new applicants will be accepted into the state’s No Worker Left Behind program, officials said Tuesday.
Some Michigan Works! Agencies will be offering limited enrollment opportunities, but the bulk of available funding will go toward helping participants complete their training. The program provides up to two years worth of free tuition at any community college, university or other approved training provider for the unemployed, those on layoff and the working poor to learn skills for a new job.
“We will continue to enroll as many people as possible into meaningful degree and certificate programs,” said Andy Levin, the state’s chief workforce officer and deputy director of the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth, in a statement. “Unfortunately, our options are limited and that is why we are continuing our fight for additional federal funding.”
According to DELEG, more than 130,000 Michigan workers have enrolled in retraining since the program began in August 2007 and thousands are on a waiting list.
Under the cutbacks, the waiting list will be eliminated although those remaining on the waiting list will receive assistance.
Levin criticized the federal funding system for workforce development as archaic and part of the reason for Michigan seeing its funding cut.
This story was provided by Gongwer News Service. To subscribe, click on Gongwer.Com
a>>
