The U.S. Department of Labor announced recently that the Alabama Department of Labor is one of six states to receive a $1M Workforce Data Quality Initiative grant – which will benefit, among other agencies, North Alabama Works, incorporating Franklin County.

Some objectives of the grant, according to a press release, are: to develop or improve the state workforce longitudinal data administrative database, connect workforce data with education data, improve the data quality in workforce databases, use longitudinal data to provide information about program operations and evaluate their performance and to provide user-friendly information to consumers to help them select workforce and training programs. 

Partner agencies that will benefit from this grant through increased sharing of data include: the Alabama Department of Labor/Alabama Career Center System, the Alabama Department of Commerce, Alabama Industrial Development Training, the Alabama Workforce Council, the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services, Alabama Adult Education and the Alabama Department of Senior Services, among others. 

“This is wonderful news for the state of Alabama,” said Fitzgerald Washington, secretary of the Alabama Department of Labor. “Ultimately, this will benefit all Alabamians by helping us create a well-trained workforce that can take advantage of high-paying job opportunities.” 

The grant will be disbursed over a three-year period.