February 15, 2010
Crowder College, the Full Employment Council of Kansas City and Maryville University will receive funds to train Missourians for jobs in expanding fields
Gov. Nixon announces more than $13 million in federal grants won by Missouri for health care job training
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Gov. Jay Nixon announced today that Missouri has been awarded $13.75 million in federal grants to help train workers for jobs in health care and related high growth fields. The funds will flow to Crowder College in Neosho, which will receive $3.57 million; the Full Employment Council of Kansas City, which will receive $4.99 million; and Maryville University in St. Louis, which will receive $4.69 million.
"Missouri is positioned to lead the nation's economic recovery because we are investing in our workers to prepare them for the high-tech and high growth industries of the 21st century," Gov. Nixon said. "Health care is one field in which we just don't have enough trained professionals to meet demand. This grant will help train more Missourians across our state to take on careers in the health-related professions and provide the medical care our citizens need."
The grant awarded to Crowder College will be used for the Health Care Education Expansion and Advancement Project. The project will expand opportunities for Missourians to pursue careers as certified nurse assistants, emergency medical technicians, substance abuse and addiction counselors, pharmacy technicians and assistants to occupational and physical therapists. Approximately 1,575 participants will engage in coursework leading to a certificate or degree.
The Full Employment Council of Kansas City will use its grant to focus on the business and hiring needs of the health industry by partnering with local hospitals, businesses and other employers who hire health care workers. The council's training program will focus specifically on filling employer needs in long-term care and allied health occupations that are in demand, such as certified nursing assistants and home health aides. It is expected that 1,800 participants will enroll in the program.
St. Louis's Maryville University will expand access to existing academic programs in its nursing program for adult students. The university will provide a weekend and evening college program for a bachelor's degree in nursing that will accommodate 64 students, as well as a bachelor's completion program for 90 nurses at the associate level. The school will also open programs for a Rehabilitation Nursing Certificate for registered nurses, and training for licensed practical nurses and licensed vocational nurses for 160 participants. The program will also provide career counseling and job placement for students. Maryville University will serve 314 additional nurses via this grant.
The federal grants are awarded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's Health Care Sector and Other High Growth and Emerging Industries job training program. The program invests in projects that address current or forecasted work shortages and provide workers with paths to career opportunities in high growth and emerging industries such as health care. The $13.75 million awarded to Missouri comes from a pool of $226 million in program grants awarded nationwide.