NEW HAVEN - Connecticut’s Congressional delegation joined Governor Dannel P. Malloy today in applauding news that Workforce Alliance Inc. and Capital Workforce Partners have received Ready To Work grants from the U.S. Department of Labor. Workforce Alliance, and their partner the Eastern CT Workforce Investment Board (EWIB), has been awarded $5,490,000 and Capital Workforce Partners $6,695,685.

The Ready To Work initiative supports collaboration between employers, nonprofit organizations and job training programs to connect Americans with available jobs. Today’s grants are aimed at getting people struggling with long-term unemployment back to work. The grants have three primary functions: outreach and recruitment, training and support services, and placement strategies.

“The unemployed in Connecticut are ready to get back to work, but they still need help getting connected to available jobs in the state," said Murphy. "That's why the grants announced today are so important. They'll help make those critical connections and get the long-term unemployed in Connecticut back into good jobs. With this funding, Capital Workforce Partners and the Workforce Alliance Inc. can build on their tremendous job-training programs that help people in Connecticut find employment. These grants are a big win for families and workers in Connecticut, and I'm looking forward to seeing them benefit so many deserving people.”

"These grants will fuel our continued economic recovery, helping the long-term unemployed learn new skills and land new jobs. Workers must be evaluated based on their qualifications and experience when applying for jobs, which is why I introduced the Fair Employment Opportunity Act to prohibit discrimination against those who are currently unemployed. These grants emphasize the skills employers are looking for and will help fill areas of need and power economic growth. I commend Workforce Alliance Inc. and Capital Workforce Partners for their incredible work helping Connecticut residents to transition smoothly back into the workforce," said Blumenthal. 

“In a tough job market, where unemployed workers are often discriminated against, we need to do everything possible to level the playing field,” said DeLauro. “These grants will help ensure that Connecticut residents who want a job can be better-equipped to compete for available positions. I applaud Workforce Alliance and Capital Workforce Partners for all the great work they do helping Connecticut families.”

"I applaud Capital Workforce Partners and Workforce Alliance for having the vision to lead these efforts on behalf of the long-term unemployed and current workers looking to upgrade their skills," Larson said. "These grants will provide training and job placement services for workers in high-skilled employment sectors, including our growing health care industry. Under the leadership of Governor Malloy and our Congressional delegation, Connecticut is laying the foundation for a stronger workforce."

Courtney said: "These resources will help get Connecticut's long-term unemployed back on the job, with the skills they need to compete and succeed. The on-the-job training supported by this announcement is good for job-seekers, for employers who need skilled workers, and for our economic recovery. I applaud EWIB for the excellent work they have already done in helping place 220 eastern Connecticut workers into good jobs across the region--beating federal goals outlined in the previous grant round--and this additional funding is a testament to their continuing success."

"These Ready to Work grants will provide Connecticut residents with the training and skills they need to excel in the workforce,” Himes said. “They will specifically help our friends and neighbors who have been unemployed for longer periods of time, connecting them with growing companies in Connecticut. I applaud the Workforce Alliance and Capital Workforce Partners for their efforts on behalf of Connecticut's workers and our state's economy.”

Esty said: “It is critical that our neighbors and friends struggling to find work—particularly the long-term unemployed—have the tools they need to reenter the workforce. I applaud what Capital Workforce Partners and Workforce Alliance both do to help jobseekers in Connecticut, and this grant from the Department of Labor will allow them to reach more people seeking their assistance to move back into the workforce.”

"While we are making steady progress growing our economy and we're seeing job growth in the private sector, we must continue our efforts to ensure that workers in our state have good-paying jobs with good benefits," Governor Malloy said. "Connecticut has some of the most talented and skilled workers in the nation, and these initiatives announced today are targeted specifically at those who are long-term unemployed so that we can match them with available positions at Connecticut employers."

Workforce Alliance President & CEO William P. Villano said, “This grant does more than put people back to work. It builds Connecticut’s competitive advantage in high-skilled industries by targeting the skills gap in important sectors of the regional economy. All participants will be trained for and placed in career-path positions in one of the targeted fields.”

Capital Workforce Partners President and CEO Thomas Phillips said: “The $6.7m that Capital Workforce Partners has received through the H-1B Ready to Work Partnership grant will not only allow us to re-tool and re-train long term unemployed individuals, but the grant will also ensure that local health care employers will have access to qualified pool of workers in our region, as demographic trends impact our labor force.”

“Historically, Connecticut has been known for the excellent quality of its workforce.” said John Beauregard, EWIB Executive Director, “This grant will help us maintain that leadership by upgrading the skills of Connecticut workers. Companies grow where talent is readily available.”

DeLauro and Blumenthal are the lead sponsors of the Fair Employment Opportunity Act, which would prohibit employers and employment agencies from discriminating against unemployed job-seekers by refusing to consider them for employment.