Springfield selected for $150K workforce grant

The city of Springfield has been awarded a $150,000 grant to help shore up the workforce of the local construction, education and health care sectors.

The grant for the city's Department of Workforce & Economic Vitality comes from the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development, according to a news release. The MDHEWD last year received a $4 million Apprenticeship Building America grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Missouri department announced it would launch the Missouri Strategies for Training and Apprentice Readiness project with the funds.

With its grant funding, the Springfield Department of Workforce & Economic Vitality plans to serve at least 50 pre-apprentices in construction, education and health care. The city intends to utilize existing partnerships with local trade union Mid-American Carpenters Regional Council and the Springfield Electrical Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee; Missouri State University and public school systems in southern Missouri; and Mercy Hospital Springfield.

"This will provide additional career paths for at least 50 individuals while serving as a pipeline of skilled workers for regional employers," Mayor Ken McClure said in the release.

The pre-apprenticeship grant period is scheduled to start April 1, pending Springfield City Council approval of the funds, according to the release.