Des Moines, Iowa — Governor Kim Reynolds announced new grant awards this week targeted at reducing language barriers within Iowa’s workforce.
The governor’s office tells us that the new Iowa Language Learners Job Training Program will provide nearly $360,000 in funding to support meaningful language programs at 11 different Iowa employers, including two in our area.
In total, the employer grants being awarded will support 465 program participants by helping their companies increase dual language instruction, expand communication with customers, and boost recruitment and retention efforts with new staff.
Reynolds says that over the last two years, Iowa has put a significant focus on identifying remaining workforce barriers and overcoming them with innovative solutions. Reynolds says, “I applaud the leadership of today’s awardees. These state grants are about tackling language barriers so we can help businesses better communicate with employees, serve more of their customers, and expand Iowa’s workforce into new populations.”
In our area, grants were given to both Interstates in Sioux Center and Ironwood 53 Design and Build in Rock Valley.
Other recipients included
· ALPLA, Inc., Iowa City
· A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co., Dubuque
· Catalyst Project Management, Iowa City
· Country Maid, West Bend
· Heritage Building Maintenance, Des Moines
· Neumann Monson, Iowa City
· New Hope Village, Inc., Carroll
· Shearer’s Foods, Burlington
· VGM Group, Waterloo
For more information on the grant, you can visit this link.
The governor’s office says the new grant funding will help sponsor language programs in Spanish, English, and Mandarin. Employers were required to provide plans for sustaining each language program, and courses were encouraged to be conducted onsite or include several options for flexible transportation offsite.
