Arizona Receives Labor Grant for Engineers, Scientists

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., Jan. 6 -- The US Labor Department has awarded $2.9 million to the Northern Arizona Council of Governments to upgrade the skills of 350 degreed engineers and scientists in the engineering and advanced manufacturing fields.

The grant will provide skill certifications in areas including semiconductor processing, environmental testing, lean manufacturing, rapid prototyping, ultralow-power electronics, computational engineering, advanced robotics, microelectronics, materials research and electro-optic technology.

Partner employers will provide nearly $1.5 million in matching funds and $565,000 in waived costs and in-kind services, according to the Labor Department.

"This grant illustrates the kind of workforce development partnerships we are encouraging to address the challenges facing 21st-century businesses," said Emily Stover DeRocco, assistant secretary of labor for employment and training. "When businesses identify the skills their workforce needs, educators and our public workforce system can be key players in preparing workers for the highly skilled jobs in high-demand fields."

For more information, visit: www.dol.gov