The Delaware Department of Labor has received a nearly $9.2 million H1B One Workforce Grant in meeting demand for information technology positions. The grant came from the U.S. Department of Labor.
According to available information from August 2019 and July 2020, Delaware saw a monthly average of more than 4,000 job postings for IT opportunities with over 450 hires per month in IT.
The One Workforce Grant will provide training for 700 people interested in obtaining a skill and earn credentials to prepare them to enter mid to high-level occupations in the IT field.
Tech Impact and Delaware State University partnered with the Labor Department in securing the grant.
The organizations have been working to help underrepresented communities and meet the in-demand IT occupations (security, developers, applications, analysts, administrators, programmers, technicians, etc).
“The Delaware Department of Labor is excited to be a partner in the development of a career pipeline that produces a qualified work-force within an in-demand industry. The training and the re-employment of workers impacted by COVID-19, will help to get Delawareans back to work,” says, Karryl Hubbard, state Secretary of Labor.
“We are excited to work alongside the Delaware Department of Labor and Delaware State University to continue developing an inclusive tech talent pipeline for the citizens of Delaware,” stated Patrick Callihan, executive director of nonprofit Tech Impact. “Delaware is already a national leader in developing a diverse workforce in technology, and this grant will enable us to collectively provide increased access to high wage careers, meet the growing demands of our employers, and attract new economic development opportunities for the state.”
Saundra DeLauder, provost and chief academic officer at Delaware State University stated, “Our institution has a proud legacy of providing access and opportunity for first generation and underserved populations. This opportunity aligns with the priorities of our School of Graduate, Adult and Extended Studies under the leadership of Dean Patrice Gilliam-Johnson and we look forward to working with our partners in expanding workforce opportunities for our citizens.”
The Delaware Department of Labor has partnered with the following employers: Marlette Funding, WSFS, SSD Technology Partners and Brandywine Technology.
