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B. Targeted Industries, Occupations and. Participants <br />Technical Skills Training Grants under this SGA will focus on high - growth industries and <br />occupations defined in ACWIA as those that: 1) are projected to add substantial numbers of <br />new jobs to the economy; 2) are being transformed by technology and innovation requiring new <br />skill sets for workers; 3) are new.and emerging businesses that are projected to grow; or 4) . <br />have a significant impact on the economy overall or on the growth of other industries and <br />occupations. To meet the legislative intent of training American workers to reduce the need for <br />foreign workers under the H -1 B visa program, applicants must design their education and <br />training programs to support industries and occupations for which employers are using H -1 B <br />visas to hire foreign workers. According to recent data, a wide range of industries may meet <br />these criteria in local and regional areas around the country. <br />Applicants should review the attached list of industries and occupations that are using <br />H -1 B visas to hire foreign workers (See Attachment A). This list is not'exhaustive and <br />applicants are advised to also refer to the Foreign Labor Certification Data Center Web site <br />( http : / /www.flcdatacenter.com /CaseH1 B.aspx) for the latest database of occupations approved <br />under H-1 B. petitions, For this Solicitation, ETA is particularly interested in training for <br />- -- occupations within the- following- industries:- information - technology- communlcation-and- - - -- - - - -- <br />broadband technology, advanced manufacturing and health care. <br />ETA intends to fund at least $45 million to applicants proposing to provide training in the <br />health care industry (including Health Information Technology). The health care industry has <br />grown rapidly and is projected to grow in the future due to advances in medical knowledge and <br />the increased need for medical services required by an aging population. Of the 20 fastest <br />growing occupations, half are within the'health care industry. The absence of sufficient <br />numbers of qualified workers in this diverse sector threatens the quality and availability -of <br />medical care, and the economic stability and growth potential of local communities in rural, <br />urban, and suburban areas. Mdreover, the growing complexity of health care de. livery will <br />require workers to continuously upgrade their. skills. <br />. While grants will serve participants who maybe currently employed or unemployed, the <br />Department is. particularly focused on reaching those individuals who have been unemployed <br />the longest, and will work to ensure that at least $60 million In grant awards goes to those <br />applicants that focus on this population: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' December <br />2010 Employment Situation Summary, the long -term unemployed make up about 44 percent of <br />all unemployed workers. These unemployed workers may be near or past the exhaustion of <br />their unemployment benefits or may be discouraged from looking for work. They may need <br />additional assistance to enhance their skills to become re- employed. <br />C. Training Strategies and Allowable Activities <br />Applicants must propose projects that provide job training and related activities that are <br />designed to assist workers in gaining the skills and competencies needed to obtain or upgrade <br />employment in high - growth industries and occupations, or along the career pathways for such <br />industries and occupations. A career pathway may generally be defined as a system of career <br />options which allows opportunities for professional growth and upward mobility. Training under <br />this Solicitation may not be used for entry-level occupations, but should focus on occupations <br />along the career pathways that require higher skill levels. DOL will fund two types of training <br />programs: those that provide OJT to all participants, or those that use other promising training <br />strategies. With each type of training strategy, there are a number of activities that applicants <br />can include to ensure that the programs meet participants' needs.. All training strategies must: <br />1) target skills and competencies in demand by industries and occupations for which employers <br />are using H -1 B visas to hire foreign workers (see Attachment A); 2) provide education and <br />training for jobs currently available; and 3) whenever possible, result in an,industry recognized <br />credential. ETA encourages applicants to use program models with demonstrated success In <br />20A -14 <br />