Curran Proposes $10 Million For New Job Training Program

NASSAU COUNTY, NY — Nassau County is putting $10 million of the federal coronavirus funding it received into workforce development programs in a bid to help unemployed residents find new jobs and short-staffed businesses find new workers.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran announced the investment on Wednesday. The money comes from the $62.9 million American Rescue Plan funding that the county allocated for economic recovery initiatives. Eligible organizations include higher education institutions, BOCES, building trades, municipal community development agencies and other nonprofit entities.

“With this investment we are accelerating hiring for local employers while building a career pipeline for struggling residents, allowing them to secure quality local job opportunities — in turn, strengthening our economy,” said Curran. “With many hard-hit residents unable to afford childcare or transportation or even internet access, removing these financial barriers will be key to our effort and getting people back to work.”

According to Curran, the new initiative will prioritize programs that help residents in communities that have the highest rates of unemployment. The county also wants to encourage programs that help the industries hardest-hit by the pandemic, like hospitality, retail and healthcare. It also aims to help those areas that are struggling with staffing shortages, like paramedics and commercially licensed drivers.

The program will target programs that provide scholarships or stipends to help cover the costs that people seeking job training face, like childcare, coursework and transportation. Programs eligible for the funding may include pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs for manufacturing, retail, construction and building trades and other industries; job training and placement programs that prepare, educate and connect residents to promising career pathways – mainly through Nassau’s local colleges and universities, BOCES and other institutional and not-for-profit partners.

The plan, however, is not a done deal. Curran will file her proposal with the County Legislature, which has to approve the spending. If approved, applications for funding can be submitted to the county's Boost Nassau portal.

The county opened the Boost Nassau Resource Center over the summer — a brick-and-mortar location in Eisenhower Park and a website — both of which serve as a one-stop-shop for residents, nonprofits and business to determine eligibility for federal, state, and county programs. The center’s staff helps those interested apply for available recovery grants, loans and other assistance programs and initiatives. Those in need of assistance can visit the Boost Nassau portal or call 516-572-2888.

“Every day we hear from industry leaders who need trained and qualified staff to fill vital roles,” said Dr. Robert R. Dillon, district superintendent of Nassau BOCES, which provides career and technical education to thousands of high school students and adults every year. “This grant will be life-changing for so many people who are unemployed or underemployed and ready to learn a new skills or trades. It will also help to grow the Long Island economy as industries are able to fill necessary positions.”