SALISBURY, MD – Lower Shore Workforce Alliance (LSWA) announced funding awards totaling $1.9 million to local organizations this week. The federal funds have been provided by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), which was signed into law by President Joe Biden last March.
ARPA funding serves to help communities recover from the negative economic and health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants awarded by LSWA intend to increase workforce training and create new jobs.
Awards were presented to MAC, Inc., TidalHealth, Vehicles for Change, and Wor-Wic Community College. All four organizations proposed programming for training workers to earn industry certifications and supporting job attainment.
MAC’s Caregiver Advantage Workforce Development Program (CAWDP) will received funding to train entry-level caregivers and assist them in finding jobs to address the shortage of workers serving senior citizens. TidalHealth will use their award to develop an on-the-job nursing assistant training program in Somerset County. Vehicles for Change will create a new auto technician training program for individuals facing barriers to employment. Students will repair donated cars that will then be given to local, low-income families without access to reliable transportation. Wor-Wic Community College’s Continuing Education Workforce Development division will expand their business & industry training programs to provide more options and greater access to those interested in learning a skilled trade.
Funding will be available for disbursement this spring.
