The United States Department of Labor has offered ₹742 crore ($81 million) worth of grants to states and eligible entities under its RESTART initiative to “develop programs to train ex-offenders for high-need American jobs and assist them in being productive contributors to the US economy”.
In a notice on its official website, the labor dept said this is aimed at funding training and apprenticeships for eligible youth in order to facilitate their re-entry into the job market and gain employment.
Reentry employment opportunities: What is this?
According to the website, the Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) program provides funding, authorized as Research and Evaluation under Section 169 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014, for justice-involved youth and young adults and adults who were formerly incarcerated.
“Our goal is to develop strategies and partnerships that facilitate the implementation of successful programs at the state and local levels that will improve the workforce outcomes for this population,” it states.
The Reentry Employment in Skilled Trades, Advanced Manufacturing, Registered Apprenticeships, and Training aka RESTART initiative is part of this program’s competitive grants award.
What is RESTART Initiative? All you need to know
As per the website, RESTART provides youth between 15-17 years of age, young adults between 18-24 years of age, and adults aged 25 years and above — who have criminal records, were jailed or involved in the criminal justice system, with training that support in-demand industries and services.
It added that “evidence-based research suggests (this) increases the likelihood of successful employment outcomes”.
- Assessment of prior learning and skills;
- Work-based learning through On-the-Job Training and Registered Apprenticeships;
- Artificial intelligence, financial, and digital literacy training; among others.
Training will focus on in-demand skilled trades such as advanced manufacturing, domestic mineral production, information technology including AI, nuclear energy, occupations essential to the build out of AI infrastructure, shipbuilding occupations, and transportation.
Grantees are required to partner with a local reentry organization, the state apprenticeship agency (SAA), the state workforce development board (SWDB), a criminal justice system partner, and at least three employers within the industries targeted by this program.
How to apply for the grants?
The grants from the labor department are open to eligible organizations as listed above. In order to apply, follow these steps:
