Governor Sanders, Department of Commerce Award $48M in Employer-Driven HIRED Training Grants
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (November 14, 2024) – On Thursday, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Secretary Hugh McDonald, Chief Workforce Officer Mike Rogers, and Arkansas Workforce Connections Director Cody Waits awarded $48 million in training grants to support workforce development efforts aligned with the Arkansas Workforce Strategy.
“The great thing about the HIRED program is that it’s not just education-focused – it’s also closely aligned with Arkansas’ fastest-growing industries,” said Governor Sanders. “The $48 million we’re announcing through the HIRED grant program will help provide a solution to Arkansas’ business leaders who are seeking more qualified, skilled, hardworking employees to grow their companies.”
The grants were awarded as part of the Higher Industry Readiness through Educational Development (HIRED) program, established by the Workforce Initiative Act of 2015. In total, $88 million is available through the HIRED Grant program’s two tracks, which are separately administered through the Arkansas Department of Commerce and the Arkansas Division of Higher Education.
“Workforce development is a key priority for Governor Sanders and the Department of Commerce, and the HIRED grants will have a major impact on preparing the next generation of Arkansans for the workforce,” said Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald. “These grants represent an industry-driven approach to workforce development and will impact Arkansans and companies in every corner of our state. Our public sector – including the Department of Commerce, Arkansas Department of Education, Arkansas Department of Higher Education, the Office of Skills Development, and the Chief Workforce Officer – have partnered and collaborated with the private sector and our educational institutions throughout this process, and we look forward to the positive results that the programs supported through the HIRED Grant Program will have in Arkansas, which will be measurable by the employment outcomes of these partnerships.”
Nineteen organizations in Arkansas received $48 million in grants in the Track 2 portion of the HIRED grants program, administered by the Arkansas Department of Commerce and Arkansas Workforce Connections.
“Apprenticeships, trade schools and the college system are vital in building Arkansas’s workforce,” said Mike Rogers, Chief Workforce Officer for the State of Arkansas. “This round of investments is intended to target competencies that key industry sectors have asked for. We’re relying on companies to guide and validate that they are able to hire skilled workers.”
The HIRED grants are intended to provide funding for state and regional industry-driven partnerships and data-driven education and workforce training programs. Funding for the grants comes from Arkansas Workforce Initiative grant funding and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
“The HIRED grants demonstrate Arkansas’ commitment to investing in its workforce and economic future,” said Cody Waits, Executive Director of Arkansas Workforce Connections. “We’re thrilled to offer this level of support, not just to these education and training providers, but also to employers across the state as they equip Arkansans with the skills needed to meet evolving industry demands.”
See the full list of grant recipients below:
- Little Rock, Apprenticely, $2,000,000
- Fort Smith, Arkansas Colleges of Health Education, $3,000,000
- Little Rock, Arkansas Construction Education Foundation, $1,000,000
- Jonesboro (primary), Newport, Arkansas State University-Newport, $250,000
- Malvern, Arkansas State University Three Rivers, $2,819,250
- Little Rock, The Venture Center, $500,000
- Searcy, Harding University Digital Forensics Lab, $1,500,000
- Little Rock, Little Rock Regional Chamber, $500,000
- Hot Springs, National Park College #2, $6,000,000
- Springdale, NWTI Education Foundation, $4,000,000
- Arkadelphia, Ouachita Baptist University #1, $437,500
- Helena-West Helena, Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas, $249,000
- El Dorado, South Arkansas College, $325,000
- Batesville, UAAC Batesville, $5,000,000
- North Little Rock, UA Pulaski Technical College #2, $2,000,000
- Walnut Ridge, Williams Baptist, $1,919,250
- Jonesboro, Blytheville, Newport, Arkansas State University-Jonesboro (ANC, ASUN), $7,500,000
- Camden, Southern Arkansas University Tech, $5,000,000
- Western Arkansas, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, $4,000,000
