TechHire Initiative
TechHire Initiative
"When these tech jobs go unfilled, it’s a missed opportunity for the workers, but it’s also a missed opportunity for your city, your community, your county, your state, and our nation"
- President Barack Obama, National League of Cities Annual Conference March 9th, 2015
Administration continuing to expand TechHire
On March 10, 2015, President Obama announced his TechHire initiative, a new campaign to expand local tech sectors by building tech talent pipelines in communities across the country. That announcement included three main components: (1) More than 20 communities with over 300 employer partners signed on to pilot accelerated training strategies; (2) large private-sector companies and national organizations committed to providing tools to support these TechHire communities; and (3) the President pledged $100 million in federal grant funding.
Today, the number of TechHire communities has more than doubled, to 50. If your community is interested to join the TechHire movement, please scroll down for more information on the TechHire initiative and how to get involved.
$150M awarded in Department of Labor TechHire Partnership Grants
Consistent with the goals of TechHire, today, Vice President Biden and Department of Labor Secretary Perez are announcing the release of $150 million in new Department of Labor TechHire grants—which will support 39 public-private partnerships to help train tomorrow’s workforce in rapid-growth sectors like tech, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing.
The grants will focus on providing workers the skills for a pathway to the middle class while providing employers with the skilled technology workers need to grow and expand. The Department of Labor estimates that more than 18,000 participants will receive services through the TechHire grant program. Over $125 million of the grants will go to partnerships that specifically target, train, and support young people, ages 17-29. In addition, $24 million will go to partnerships that help other disadvantaged groups with barriers to employment, including veterans, people with disabilities, people with limited English proficiency, and people with criminal records.
Grant winners and TechHire community partnerships focus on the following:
- Data and innovative hiring practices to expand openness to non-traditional hiring
- Models for training that prepare students in months, not years
- Active local leadership to connect people to jobs with hiring on ramp programs
The TechHire initiative launched in 2015 with 21 communities and over 300 employers committed to providing Americans with the accelerated, nontraditional technical training they need to obtain better jobs and achieve better futures. Since the launch of TechHire, the initiative has grown to 50 communities, committed to improving the lives of Americans. The President is challenging other communities across the country to follow their lead and get involved.
Rural Tech in the U.S: South Central Appalachia TechHire
On June 27, 2016 the Administration also launched South Central Appalachia TechHire, a joint effort by the Appalachian Regional Commission, the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, and private sector employers to develop a world-class ecosystem of tech talent in the heart of Appalachia. Together, South Central Appalachia TechHire will prepare and place over 50 individuals into tech jobs over the next year, and 400 by 2020.
To learn more about TechHire in rural communities, check out the blog post from NEC Director Jeff Zients and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.
Watch and Read About the Launch Learn More About the Grants Spotlight on Rural Tech
You can support the President's TechHire initiative on social media using the hashtag #TechHire.
Join The TechHire Community
We would welcome the opportunity to work with you to highlight new, specific, and measurable steps that your community is ready to take in these areas. If applicable, your announcement may be incorporated into White House materials in the coming months and your organization and relevant partners may be invited to participate in upcoming White House events on this topic.
Commit to become a TechHire Community or employer partner today! As a first step, we request you fill out the information at the link below, which requires coming together with partners across your region to develop an action plan for training and placing more people from your community into tech jobs. Please submit the form at the link below by August 31, 2016 for the next round of consideration.
I Want to Make a Community Commitment I Want to Make an Employer Commitment
The TechHire Opportunity
What's Happening in Communities?
We want to get more onboard. Because ultimately, success is going to rest on mayors, councilmembers, local leaders. You have got the power to bring your communities together and seize this incredible economic development opportunity that could change the way we think about training and hiring the workers of tomorrow. And the good news is these workers may emerge from the unlikeliest places.”
– President Barack Obama, TechHire Launch March 9th, 2015
Stories of TechHire
Garland C. (KY)
Thaddeus D. (OH)
Michelle S. (NE)
Lori C. (TX)
Chelsea O. (MN)
S. Aaron T. (CO)
Tracie and Trayvon (MD)
Corrine K. (TN)
Allison L. (NY)
Victor C. (MN)
Luz T. (FL)
Geraldina A. (NY)