The Governor and the Department of Commerce announced $48 million in HIRED training grants in November. The HIRED grants are intended to provide funding for state and regional industry-driven partnerships and data-driven education and workforce training programs. Funding for the grants comes from Arkansas Workforce Initiative grant funding and federal funds.
The grants were awarded as part of the Higher Industry Readiness through Educational Development (HIRED) program, using funding that was established by the Workforce Initiative Act of 2015. In total, $88 million is available through the HIRED Grant program’s two tracks, which are separately administered through the Arkansas Department of Commerce and the Arkansas Division of Higher Education.
See the full list of grant recipients below:
Track 1 HIRED Grant Recipients:
- Arkansas State University – Beebe, $2,300,000
- Arkansas State University –Three Rivers SCCTC, $2,000,000
- Arkansas Tech University – Ozark Campus, $2,750,000
- Black River Technical College with Arkansas Delta Training and Education Consortium (ADTEC) – $1,675,000
- Ozarka College, $1,550,000
- Southern Arkansas University – Magnolia, $2,750,000
- University of Arkansas – Pulaski Technical College, $2,500,000
- University of Arkansas Community College – Morrilton, $2,000,000
- University of Arkansas – Data Science, $750,000
- University of Arkansas at Little Rock – Cybersecurity, $750,000
- University of Arkansas at Monticello – Crossett, $2,000,000
Combined Track Proposals:
- Arkansas State University – Jonesboro, Arkansas Northeastern College, Arkansas State University – Newport, $3,000,000
- University of Arkansas – Semiconductors, $1,000,000
- University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, $1,700,000