Hawai‘i among first to receive NGA workforce grants
Posted on Jul 29, 2021 in Capitol Connection, Featured, Main
When COVID-19 hit the state, one frustration for those looking for help was applying to multiple — and separate — state programs — many for the first time. To address this, the governor’s office, in coordination with the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the Department of Human Services, and the Office of Enterprise Technology Services, wants to make it easier for applicants to navigate to and move between state programs to access benefits and job training opportunities.
Hawai‘i is one of 10 states in the inaugural cohort to join the National Governors Association (NGA) – Workforce Innovation Network (WIN) and receive a grant from the NGA and Cognizant U.S. Foundation to expand access to support services, connect job seekers to work, and advance skill development for all workers. Hawai‘i’s grant will be used to plan for a one-stop website to help unemployed job seekers access employment services and essential support services and training.
“We want to tackle the ‘siloed’ nature of some of the state’s workforce and human services systems to make the process easier to use,” said Governor Ige. Through the NGA-WIN grant, Hawai‘i will be able to receive technical assistance and collaborate with other states to exchange best practices and lessons learned.