10/11 NOW: City of Lincoln launches workforce initiative designed to help residents train in high demand fields
10/11 NOW
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - The City of Lincoln is launching a workforce initiative designed to help underemployed and unemployed residents train for jobs in high demand fields.
Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird said Thursday that the City will invest $1.3 million, financed from interest accrued on ARPA funds, in the Future-Ready Workforce Initiative that will provide scholarships for training in high-demand careers, such as electricians; heating, ventilation, air conditioning technicians (HVAC), and automotive service technicians.
The initiative will primarily focus on underemployed individuals, those facing barriers to employment and residents seeking to enhance their job opportunities or make a career change. In addition, it hopes to remove barriers to employment by providing supportive assistance such as gas money, child or elder care, uniforms, and tools.
The initiative is made possible through a coalition of local organizations, including representatives from the City of Lincoln, Southeast Community College, American Job Center, Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development, International Brotherhood Electrical Workers Local 265 and Lincoln Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Center.
“This new initiative will help prepare Lincoln’s workforce for the careers of today and tomorrow, creating financial stability for our community members and enhancing local employers’ access to a skilled workforce,” Mayor Gaylor Baird said. “This initiative positions Lincoln to lead the region in building a high-demand, high-wage, and high-skill ‘future-ready’ workforce.”
Dylan Wren, City of Lincoln Workforce Administrator, said there are more than 300 open positions currently available to electricians, HVAC, and auto technicians in the area.
According to Roy Lamb, IBEW Local 265 member and Director of Training at the Lincoln Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Center, because the need for electricians nationally is projected to grow at 11% annually over the next 10 years, those in that field will likely command high wages and benefits.
“The need for skilled labor has never been higher,” Lamb said. “Training to become an electrician is an excellent way to get into a satisfying, high-paying career in a relatively short period of time.”
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