The University of Hawaiสปi Community Colleges and leaders from the stateโs top business sectors announced today the official launch of Good Jobs Hawaiสปi, a $35-million workforce development initiative. Good Jobs Hawaiสปi will build career pathways for up to 3,000 local residents by providing free skills training and job placement support for high-demand, well-paying jobs.
In a coordinated effort with more than 70 employers, the UH Community Colleges are offering free skills training in the following high-demand industries: healthcare, technology, clean energy/skilled trades and creative industries. Employers from these sectors are identifying needed positions and the UH Community Colleges are providing the career pathways to these in-demand jobs through free skills training and support.
Good Jobs Hawaiสปi is building on Oสปahu Back to Work and Hana Career Pathways, the UH Community Colleges workforce training programs that have provided free skills training for more than 4,000 local residents since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
โThe University of Hawaiสปi is committed to helping kamaสปฤina get quality jobs by providing education and career training,โ said University of Hawaiสปi President David Lassner. โThis partnership provides pathways that match what local businesses and industries are looking for right now in their workforce.โ
Interested participants can apply atย goodjobshawaii.org.
More than 70 businesses have already committed to participate in the initiative. Businesses are invited to join the partnership coalition to help identify positions that need to be filled, co-design training opportunities and prioritize our local workforce in hiring and advancement. Employersย statewide can join the Good Jobs Hawaiโi coalition by signing aย Talent Action Pledgeย online as a first step.
โGood Jobs Hawaiโi will equip people with the skills they need to get good jobs โ jobs that provide economic stability, economic mobility, and a sense of purpose and respect,โ said Keala Peters, Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President, Education & Workforce Development. โWith the current labor shortage, employers are coming to the table to accelerate efforts to build equitable pathways to quality jobs for residents.โ
Funding for the program comes from multiple federal, state, county, and philanthropic resources, including $16.4 million over the next three years from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. In addition, Good Jobs Hawaiโi will support the training and wraparound support costs for participants and leverage various federal and state programs administered under the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Workforce Development Division.
The health sector has already had success filling needed positions by coordinating with the UH Community Colleges on workforce training. Ohana Pacific Health Chief Executive Officer Wesley Lo emphasized the importance of workforce development efforts in providing essential workers for their skilled nursing facilities.
โWith the recent earn and learn glidepath for CNAs to become LPNs, our nurses can continue to work while in school, enabling them to provide for their families while advancing their career to earn a living wage,โ said Lo. โWeโre grateful for this collaboration and the Good Jobs initiative that supports employers by directly addressing staffing.โ
UH President David Lassner noted that โThis demonstrates our commitment to the imperatives of our newย UH System Strategic Plan 2023โ2029 โ Hawaiสปiโs University for Today and Tomorrow, one of which is to meet Hawaiสปi workforce needs of today and tomorrow. We will address the full spectrum of needs from workforce training programs such as Good Jobs Hawaiสปi, to the many well-paying jobs that require 2-year, 4-year and graduate degrees available across our 10 UH campuses.โ
Good Jobs Hawaiสปi partners currently include Chamber of Commerce Hawaiสปi, Healthcare Association of Hawaiสปi, the Hawaiสปi State Energy Office, and the Hawaiสปi Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Informational sessions for participants and employer partners are planned for February and March.
Support for the Good Jobs Hawaiสปi initiative is provided by various government and philanthropic organizations including the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the U.S. Department of Education, the City & County of Honolulu, Ascendium Education Group, the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, the Hawaiโi Community Foundation, and the Hawaiสปi Workforce Funders Collaborative.
For more information about Good Jobs Hawaiสปi visitย goodjobshawaii.org.