(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that his administration is launching CareerConneCT, a program designed to help workers whose employment was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Individuals will now have access to short-term training programs, where they can earn an industry-recognized credential and enter employment in high-quality and in-demand careers.
Administered by the Connecticut Office of Workforce Strategy, the program is supported through $70 million in funding that Governor Lamont and the state legislature allocated from the state’s share of the federal American Rescue Plan Act.
Under the program, training providers are eligible to apply for grants over the next four years to design programs that provide industry-recognized credentials and job placement services across several sectors, including manufacturing, information technology, healthcare, infrastructure, clean energy, and other in-demand industries. The program is anticipated to support training for approximately 8,000 participants. Grants will be issued twice per year, every February and August.
The first application round is now open, and training providers can apply through February 20, 2022. Applications can be submitted online by visiting portal.ct.gov/careerconnect.
“CareerConneCT will not only help unemployed individuals find work, but it will also help modernize our workforce and strengthen our economy by providing innovative companies across our state with access to the most educated workforce in the country,” Governor Lamont said. “Thanks to President Biden and our Congressional delegation, Connecticut has the resources to fund these critical job training programs and build back better.”
“CareerConneCT is yet another resource to help our state build back better from the pandemic,” the members of Connecticut’s Congressional delegation said in a joint statement. “This program – made possible by federal COVID relief funds – will train thousands of Connecticut residents to compete for in-demand jobs across multiple sectors. Preparing our residents who lost work during the pandemic for these high-quality careers will provide them with financial security in the future and spur Connecticut’s economic resurgence.”
“CareerConneCT has been designed to create a more collaborative and inclusive workforce system, which has been the focus of the Office of Workforce Strategy since its inception,” Connecticut Chief Workforce Officer Dr. Kelli Vallieres said. “Together, these two principles will ensure that no individual, especially from a historically marginalized community or organization, is left behind as we prepare our workforce for a 21st century economy.”
“This program fulfills the mission we set out to accomplish in our strategic plan – to ensure that workers in Connecticut have the skills and support needed to thrive in the modern economy,” Mark Argosh, chair of the Governor’s Workforce Council, said. “The pandemic created urgent challenges for workers, employers, and for the Governor’s Workforce Council. The launch of CareerConneCT is an important milestone in meeting that challenge and breaking down barriers to employment for our residents, particularly those from underrepresented populations.”
For more information on CareerConneCT, visit portal.ct.gov/careerconnect.