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USDA Resource Guide for Rural Workforce Development

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USDA Resource Guide for Rural Workforce Development Together, America Prospers Contents How Your Rural Community can use USDA Programs to Build a Stronger Workforce . 2 Workforce Development Planning . .2 Infrastructure and Equipment Financing . .4 Industry and Employer Engagement, Entrepreneurship and Local Business Development . 6 Education, Training and Apprenticeship . .8 Rural Workforce Resource Guide Matrix . 10 Other Federal Agency Programs . 16 Additional Resources Available at USDA . 17 USDA Contact Information . 17 Created by the USDA Rural Development Innovation Center America’s rural workforce provides a vital foundation for the nation’s economy . Rural America supplies the nation’s food and energy resources, and the fiber necessary for goods and manufacturing . As USDA continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and help restore the economy, we remain committed to supporting rural employers and job seekers to rebuild rural America’s workforce better, stronger and more equitably than ever before . For these reasons, USDA is prioritizing collaborations with its federal partners to help start and grow thousands of businesses and give individuals the educational and financial tools to succeed in rural America . This guide was created for community leaders and other local entities to help them access resources to create jobs, train talent, expand educational opportunities and provide technical assistance . The guide outlines programs and services available at USDA and other federal departments and agencies that support workforce development in rural communities . The guide highlights four key assistance types necessary to building a stronger rural workforce: 1. Workforce development planning 2. Infrastructure and equipment financing 3. Industry and employer engagement, entrepreneurship and local business development 4. Education, training and apprenticeship Examples on page 2 illustrate how customers have used USDA programs to support each assistance type . A resource matrix on page 10 organizes USDA funding opportunities by customer and assistance type . A list of additional federal resources that complement USDA funding opportunities is provided on page 16 . Additional USDA resource guides are available on page 17 . How Your Rural Community can use USDA Programs to Build a Stronger Workforce 1. Workforce Development Planning Recommended Practices Ideally, workforce development planning is supported by • Invite your local workforce development board to various organizations in your community, such as your participate and monitor priorities in your region to leverage Chamber of Commerce, local workforce development its funding resources for your community. Contact your board, and government leaders. Good planning ensures state government agency to find your local board. communities and businesses are equipped with skills, • Use key data – such as employment rates and experiences and competencies that meet the present demand for services in your rural area – to and future needs of a given workforce. A network of understand workforce gaps and opportunities, make stakeholders – including state and local government, strategic investments, identify and nurture strategic education and training institutions, employers, partnerships, and track impact. entrepreneurs, and social and infrastructure service • Identify and understand the unique characteristics, providers – must be at the table in order to build a opportunities and workforce development needs of comprehensive plan. various population groups (for example: youth, adults, rural communities, or veterans). • Integrate the needs of employers and workers. • Align workforce development planning and economic development planning activities at an early stage in the plan. • Develop cross-sector strategies and governance. • Periodically revise your plan. 2 Success Story and economic development projects in rural areas. The Regional Plan Sets Solid Foundation funds can be used to develop strategic plans, access for Workforce Development in alternative funding sources, support board training, organize fundraisers, develop childcare facilities and Rural Tennessee create training tools. (Rural Community Development TBR used the grant to increase technical career Initiative Grants) awareness among K-12 students and improve dual enrollment opportunities for high school students to earn The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) partnered with college credit and technical career certifications at the the National Rural Education Association (NREA) to Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology. The grant develop a regional approach to workforce development financed a regional digital portal to help students, staff planning for four rural counties in Tennessee. and parents access resources, toolkits and courses. In 2019, Chester, Decatur, Henderson and Perry Funding also helped implement more effective uses of counties each were designated as economically regional labor market data to better align individuals with distressed, at-risk, or transitional. To help spur long-term careers that will have the greatest economic impact. growth in community and economic development, the TBR campuses are actively working with county, two organizations devised a plan to leverage community business and industry leaders to prepare students for funding, resources and subject matter experts to help life beyond high school. Funding also supports college improve workforce readiness. curriculum and career plan development for students to USDA Rural Development awarded TBR a $250,000 help meet the region’s workforce needs. Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) grant This project is an example of USDA’s commitment to to support this project. The RCDI program helps support new and creative ways to collaborate with local community development organizations, low-income organizations to spur community development, grow rural communities and federally-recognized Tribes businesses, and give individuals the financial tools to finance housing, community facilities and community succeed in rural America. The College System of Tennessee, governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), is Tennessee’s largest higher education system, governing 40 post-secondary educational institutions with over 200 teaching locations . The TBR system includes 13 community colleges, 27 colleges of applied technology, and TN eCampus, providing programs to students across the state, country, and world . 3 2. Infrastructure and Recommended Practices Equipment Financing • Identify gaps and opportunities to make strategic Infrastructure and social services are driving factors in infrastructure investments supporting workforce attracting and retaining industries and employees. High- development goals. speed internet, transportation facilities, and water and • Design social service programs that meet waste facilities all are critical for industry growth. Access demographic needs (for example: veterans, single to health care, education, nutrition and community parents, age or disability status). spaces help improve quality of life. • Invest in infrastructure that enables access to technology and expands training and employment opportunities for communities with physical transportation barriers. Broadband connectivity is a vital infrastructure obstacle for rural economic development right now . 4 Success Story director of the Candler County Industrial Authority. Rural Telephone Cooperative “Broadband connectivity is a vital infrastructure obstacle Takes Networking to New Level for rural economic development right now, but it is the strongest advantage we have in Metter. (Telecommunication Direct Loan Program) For that, I am thankful, and happy to partner with Pineland Telephone Cooperative to be able to Built on speculation and hope, a 42,000-square-foot help companies flourish financially in this amazing facility in rural Metter, Georgia stood empty for nearly small town.” 30 years, awaiting the perfect occupant. In fact, it was the oldest “spec” building in the state until 2014, when Pineland Co-op General Manager Dustin Durden Australian entrepreneur Sebastian Falzon spotted it cautions that the mere presence of broadband doesn’t as a diamond-in-the-rough. Within a year, Falzon – the necessarily mean businesses will come. But, while president of Australia-based Concrete Pump Engineering foundational infrastructure such as electricity, water, and (CPE) – moved its North American headquarters to Metter. wastewater treatment may be considered prerequisites for telecommunications, Durden says in modern times, Globally partnered with Korea-based Everdigm – an “Not having broadband is an eliminating factor.” international leader in concrete pumps, hydraulic attachments, and tower cranes – CPE America is the In a small town where public-private cooperation is key North American distributor of Everdigm concrete pumps to sustaining a strong local economy, Pineland Co-op is used in commercial, housing, and industrial construction. doing its part to ensure its communities have access to Why would a multinational, multimillion dollar company leading-edge broadband connectivity. A USDA partner choose to land in such a small American town? As the old since the 1950s, Pineland has steadily developed its real estate mantra goes, “Location, location, location!” network capacity, offering increasingly diverse services and now, fiber technology. In the last 10 years, Pineland Flanking Interstate 16, Metter offers easy access to has received two awards
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