SHAHEEN ANNOUNCES $4.9 MILLION GRANT FOR RIVER VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) announced today that River Valley Community College in Claremont has been selected for a $4,998,775 job training grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. The grant will fund education, training and job placement assistance to provide New Hampshire workers with the skills needed to compete for American jobs that are often filled by foreign workers.

In a letter of support sent to the Department of Labor this past November, Shaheen said that this grant would help create jobs in high-growth industries within the state, facilitating the placement of 250 unemployed individuals in apprenticeships with manufacturers in New Hampshire.

“This award is all about giving American workers the knowledge, skills and abilities they need to compete for quality jobs,” Shaheen said. “Our economy is driven by innovation, and programs like this will help train a workforce that is ready to support dynamic new industries.”

“This grant will enable companies in New Hampshire to build the high-tech workforce they need to grow and succeed in global markets, both now and in the future,” said Gerry Ghazi, President of the River Valley Workforce Institute.  “Funding will also create paths for workers to advance their careers by allowing them to earn college credit while earning a salary.”

With this funding, the college will be able to continue its strong work on the Skills Through Apprenticeship Retraining (STAR) initiative. Initiated in 2008, the STAR program offers individuals the opportunity to acquire new skills through apprenticeships with manufacturing companies. Program participants can then apply their apprenticeship experience towards earning an associate’s degrees.