ED24HDQ0G0452
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
Purpose: The purpose of this grant is to address talent gaps in the polymer industry by tracking educational and employer needs across various disciplines.
It aims to align workforce development programs with industry requirements, facilitate collaboration between educational institutions, labor, and employers, and create relevant training infrastructure.
This grant also seeks to promote good jobs, enhance employee retention, and ensure responsive matches between employers and talent.
Activities to be performed: Distribute surveys to employers, industry, workforce, and economic partners to develop labor market analyses and monitor employer needs.
Identify talent gaps and needs.
Develop networking opportunities with employer partners.
Create talent matching strategies and leverage labor representation to generate reports on worker voice and needs.
Design polymer career fairs and recruitment workshops; and develop reskilling and upskilling opportunities for current employees.
Collect input from technology hub committees to facilitate interactions between institutions of higher education (IHEs), labor, and employers.
Collaborate with industry and IHEs to design and implement new programming, including: coursework, microcredentials, and certificates in polymer lifecycle assessment (LCA); sustainability curricula across multiple educational levels and concentrations; and experiential learning opportunities such as co-ops, internships, apprenticeships, and summer research.
Collect and compile data on current polymer curricula and students served across awardee and subawardee institutions.
Expected outcomes: One industry survey and one labor market analysis conducted annually, with input gathered from the polymer industry cluster workforce development committee.
Implement seven microcredential and certificate programs in polymer lifecycle assessment, offer sixteen new courses and one new minor, and serve over 360 students and 135 industry professionals through coursework.
Additionally, provide experiential learning opportunities for 103 students, maintain a six-month postgraduation placement rate, achieve an 80% satisfaction rate from both students and industry, and conduct semi-annual polymer-related career fairs and recruitment workshops.
Intended beneficiaries: Beneficiaries of this program include students and industry professionals involved in the polymer sector.
Students across various educational levels will benefit from enhanced programming, including new microcredential and certificate programs, as well as experiential learning opportunities.
Industry professionals and employers will gain access to a talent pool better aligned with their needs through improved career fairs, recruitment workshops, and reskilling opportunities, while also receiving support to address talent gaps.
It aims to align workforce development programs with industry requirements, facilitate collaboration between educational institutions, labor, and employers, and create relevant training infrastructure.
This grant also seeks to promote good jobs, enhance employee retention, and ensure responsive matches between employers and talent.
Activities to be performed: Distribute surveys to employers, industry, workforce, and economic partners to develop labor market analyses and monitor employer needs.
Identify talent gaps and needs.
Develop networking opportunities with employer partners.
Create talent matching strategies and leverage labor representation to generate reports on worker voice and needs.
Design polymer career fairs and recruitment workshops; and develop reskilling and upskilling opportunities for current employees.
Collect input from technology hub committees to facilitate interactions between institutions of higher education (IHEs), labor, and employers.
Collaborate with industry and IHEs to design and implement new programming, including: coursework, microcredentials, and certificates in polymer lifecycle assessment (LCA); sustainability curricula across multiple educational levels and concentrations; and experiential learning opportunities such as co-ops, internships, apprenticeships, and summer research.
Collect and compile data on current polymer curricula and students served across awardee and subawardee institutions.
Expected outcomes: One industry survey and one labor market analysis conducted annually, with input gathered from the polymer industry cluster workforce development committee.
Implement seven microcredential and certificate programs in polymer lifecycle assessment, offer sixteen new courses and one new minor, and serve over 360 students and 135 industry professionals through coursework.
Additionally, provide experiential learning opportunities for 103 students, maintain a six-month postgraduation placement rate, achieve an 80% satisfaction rate from both students and industry, and conduct semi-annual polymer-related career fairs and recruitment workshops.
Intended beneficiaries: Beneficiaries of this program include students and industry professionals involved in the polymer sector.
Students across various educational levels will benefit from enhanced programming, including new microcredential and certificate programs, as well as experiential learning opportunities.
Industry professionals and employers will gain access to a talent pool better aligned with their needs through improved career fairs, recruitment workshops, and reskilling opportunities, while also receiving support to address talent gaps.
Awardee
Funding Goals
NON-CONSTRUCTION - FY23 REGIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION HUB PROGRAM PHASE 2
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Akron,
Ohio
44325-0002
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
The University Of Akron was awarded
Polymer Workforce Development : Bridging Talent Gaps Industry Growth
Project Grant ED24HDQ0G0452
worth $7,071,802
from Economic Development Administration in October 2024 with work to be completed primarily in Akron Ohio United States.
The grant
has a duration of 5 years and
was awarded through assistance program 11.039 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs.
$978,113 (12.0%) of this Project Grant was funded by non-federal sources.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity FY 2023 Regional Technology and Innovation Hub Program Phase 2 Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 8/29/25
Period of Performance
10/1/24
Start Date
9/30/29
End Date
Funding Split
$7.1M
Federal Obligation
$978.1K
Non-Federal Obligation
$8.0M
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
ED24HDQ0G0452
SAI Number
None
Award ID URI
None
Awardee Classifications
Public/State Controlled Institution Of Higher Education
Awarding Office
1331K5 DEPT OF COMMERCE EDA
Funding Office
1331K5 DEPT OF COMMERCE EDA
Awardee UEI
DFNLDECWM8J8
Awardee CAGE
2A678
Performance District
OH-13
Senators
Sherrod Brown
J.D. (James) Vance
J.D. (James) Vance
Modified: 8/29/25