DW392042260A17

Award Purpose

Quest DWG projects advance the department's promise to create high-quality jobs and a skilled workforce and reflect the administration's commitment to providing opportunities for all workers to overcome the employment, economic, and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants enable individuals adversely affected by the pandemic and the social and economic inequities that the pandemic exacerbated to enter, return to, or advance in high-quality jobs in growth industries such as infrastructure, environment and climate, the care economy, and other critical sectors. Quest DWGs also address business and industry needs for a resilient and skilled workforce.

Activities Performed

Comprehensive career training and work-based training, and supportive services to help displaced workers and other eligible participants, including underserved and historically marginalized, obtain high-quality jobs in targeted growth industries and occupations. Disaster relief employment activities will include hiring contact tracers; vaccination support workers; sanitization crews; COVID protocol workers (assists with enforcing health and safety requirements); community health workers; food bank/pantry crew and food delivery workers; shelter assistants; and COVID education and services navigators. Strategic partnership activities will include working with existing partners at the state and local level to reach targeted communities and individuals and working with new partners focused on the state's clean energy and jobs efforts to increase employment opportunities for program participants in the clean energy sector. Community and potential participant outreach will leverage Commerce's regional economic development team and network of community navigators to connect with targeted populations to ensure awareness of the project's customized reemployment assistance provided in a supportive, safe, and resource-rich environment. Business engagement activities include working with employers and industries to identify current and emerging skills needs, develop sector-based training approaches, use career pathway models, create work-based training opportunities, and identify solutions to hiring and retention challenges to increase opportunities for participants to obtain high-quality jobs and strengthen employer partnerships.

Deliverables

590 planned participants enrolled.

Intended Beneficiary

Individuals from underserved and historically marginalized populations, including Black, Indigenous, and other people of color and justice-impacted individuals, impacted by COVID.

Subrecipient Activities

Local workforce development boards enroll and train participants.

Illinois Department Of Commerce And Economic Opportunity

17.277 - WIOA National Dislocated Worker Grants / WIA National Emergency Grants

Employment and Training Administration (ETA) [DOL]

Office of Workforce Investment [DOL - ETA]

Illinois United States

State-Wide

Quality Jobs, Equity, Strategy, and Training (QUEST) Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grants (DWGs) (ETA-TEGL-02-22-DWG)

Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 09/30/24 to 09/30/25.