Nelson: More than $2 million in stimulus funds to help get unemployed back to work

WASHINGTON -- Today, Nebraska's Senator Ben Nelson welcomed an announcement by the U.S. Department of Labor that Goodwill Industries in Nebraska will receive more than $2 million to support job training for the unemployed. The funds are made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

"These stimulus funds will help get Nebraskans back to work," said Senator Nelson. "The stimulus bill is a jobs bill, and projects like this help support partners in the community as they work to get Nebraskans retrained and ready to reenter the workforce."

Goodwill Industries, Inc., in collaboration with Metropolitan Community College, will receive a $2,007,846 grant to recruit, train, and prepare workers for customer contact positions in the insurance and banking industries. Participants will learn the specific skills they need to excel in those jobs, including hands‐on experience with technology, basic knowledge of the insurance and banking industries, and the ability to serve challenging customers as they earn college credits and work towards a Customer Contact Specialist Diploma. Additionally, career coaches will help to ensure participant's success by providing one‐on‐one guidance and curriculum development. Goodwill hopes to place over 100 graduates of the program into training-related employment.

The funds were part of $225 million in grant awards announced today by the US Department of Labor. A total of 55 awards ranging from approximately $2 million to $5 million were made in two categories: health care sectors; and other high growth and emerging industries. In both categories, projects will be implemented by partnerships that include the public workforce system, the education and training community, and employers and industry‐related organizations.

Senator Nelson played a key role in the passage of the $787 billion stimulus bill. He worked with a bipartisan group of nearly 20 Senators to better focus The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on tax cuts for the middle class and job creation for millions of Americans. Senator Nelson led the group through the initial bill line by line, dollar by dollar, to reduce spending and cut out $108 billion of inefficient or less-stimulative spending. The bipartisan group helped the improved bill win congressional approval. President Obama signed it into law February 17, 2009.

Senator Nelson is posting information about the release of stimulus finds on his Web site as it becomes available. Visit http://bennelson.senate.gov/feature_4.cfm for more information