Citing its success, the State of Indiana extended the Next Level Jobs program through Dec. 30 to draw more job seekers and employers.
Indiana will pay for the expansion of Next Level’s eligibility, offerings and funding caps for Workforce Ready Grants and Employer Training Grants, with $40 million from the federal CARES Act.
State Rep. Greg Steuerwald (R-Avon) said the grants pay the tuition of Hoosiers seeking to sharpen their skills or transition to a new career, adding that the money benefits local employers that hire and train local.
“This is a great opportunity to obtain an open position and gain more secure employment,” Steuerwald said in a press release from the Indiana House of Representatives Republican Caucus.
More than 50% of the CARES Act allotment will enable at least 10,000 Hoosiers to use the Workforce Ready Grant as Next Level temporarily expands. Hoosiers with associate degrees or bachelor’s degrees are temporarily eligible to receive full tuition reimbursement for short-term Workforce Ready Grant-eligible programs.
The Employer Training Grant, under the management of the state’s Department of Workforce Development, is there for to support more businesses that train new employees in addition to upskill or reskill workers, according to the press release.
As much as $100,000 in grants is available businesses, with $5 million going towards minority, women and veteran-owned businesses.
State Rep. Jeff Thompson (R-Lizton), who sponsored the legislation two years that creating Next Level, said the program opens doors for Hoosiers rendered unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Too many of our neighbors have lost jobs and income because of this public health crisis,” Thompson said in the press release. “Next Level Jobs has helped train thousands of Hoosiers for many of today's essential careers, and this additional funding will benefit thousands more at a critical time.”
State Rep. Bob Behning (R-Indianapolis) said now is the best time for Hoosiers to reflect on their career and decide whether they want to improve on certain skills or embark on a new career path.