What is the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund?

The Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund is a workforce development initiative that supports programs in critical industry sectors in Massachusetts. This state-funded initiative is administered by Commonwealth Corporation on behalf of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.

The WCTF was a key component of the Workforce Solutions Act/Economic Stimulus Bill of 2006 and was established with two objectives:

To improve the competitive stature of Massachusetts businesses by improving the skills of current and future workers, and
To improve access to well-paying jobs and long-term career success for all residents of Massachusetts, especially those who experience structural, social, and educational barriers to employment success.

The WCTF is guided by an advisory committee representing community-based organizations, education and workforce development agencies, labor, industries and employers. The advisory committee is chaired by Suzanne M. Bump, Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development.

(see CommCorp for further details)

The Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund (WCTF) is the hallmark of the Workforce Solutions Act, a three-year initiative focused on several critical industry sectors. It is designed to enable a broad range of residents—including older workers, low-wage workers, low-income individuals, disabled citizens, vulnerable youth, incumbent workers and the unemployed—to gain access to employment, education and the skills necessary to move forward along a career path leading to economic self-sufficiency.

A Summary of Accomplishments

2009 Activity:

Request for Applications Announcement for Healthcare Skills Gap Partnerships

ARRA Healthcare Skills Gap Partnership Bidder's Webiner Presentation

Q & A

Construction Trades and Related Occupations Preparation Program request for qualifications

2008 Grants:

Round Two Grant Awards of $7.2 million in awards are currently training more than 3,300 workers in growing industry sectors. These grantees join the 20 projects funded in Round One which are currently training more than 2,000 workers. Funding for the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund was made possible as part of the 2006 Economic Stimulus Bill/Workforce Solutions Act which appropriated $18 million to the Fund. The Governor and Legislature appropriated $3 million for Fiscal Year 2009 and additional resources are expected as part of the landmark Life Sciences and Green Jobs legislation which place a strong emphasis on training residents for jobs and career pathways in these growing sectors.

Summary of Round Two Awards and Regional Partnerships

2007 Grants:

Summary of Round One Awards and Regional Partnerships

Presentation: The Recent Economic Trends in Massachusetts: Which are critical industries? Navjeet Singh, Vice President Research and Evaluation CommCorp. Read PPT

2007 Member Listing

2007 Requests for Proposals

Regional Allocations

Funding Stipulations:

$2 million will be allocated to Planning and Implementation grants, to be distributed through a state-level competitive process.
Funds for Health Care and Travel and Tourism will be distributed among the regions using an allocation formula for competition within regions. There will be a minimum of two (2) health care grants and one (1) travel and tourism grant across the state.
The $1 million dollar earmark for older workers will be apportioned through a combination of regional and state-level competitive processes.
$7 million (plus the older work funds, above) will be allocated to the regions

2006 Presentation of WCTF

Press Releases:

Secretary Bump Announces Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund Grants For Innovative Post-Secondary Education-March 11th, 2009

Secretary Bump Announces Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund Grants to Aid Healthcare, Early Childhood, and Utilities Sectors- January 5, 2009

Patrick Administration Announces $10 Million in New Workforce Grants- June 7, 2007

and a Statement from the Workforce Solutions Group- June 7, 2007

News:

Past Coverage:

330K grant to aid Cape health care training- June 2007, Cape Cod Times

Gov. Patrick awards training grants to North Shore Groups- June 2007, The Daily Item

Massasoit to receive state workforce cash- The Enterprise

Past Events:

(l-r) Massasoit CC President Charles Wall, Brockton Mayor James Harrington, Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Suzanne Bump

Representative Thomas Kennedy joins Ed Lofgren from the Massachusetts Marine Trades Association during the announcement that Massasoit Community College would lead the Jobs in Boating project.

Secretary Bump along with her mother congratulate Michael Martin who provided a moving account on his successful experience in the At Your Service Program, a WCTF grant recipient.

BayState Works

Ongoing Initiative Sections

In its 2000 report: New Skills for a New Economy: Adult Basic Educations Key Role in Sustaining Economic Growth and Expanding Opportunity, MassInc. revealed that nearly one third of Massachusetts workforce lacked the necessary literacy, education, and critical thinking skills for promotion beyond entry-level positions. Businesses were already experiencing lower productivity and higher turnover in their workforce; the problem would only worsen without a coordinated response. Through 4 rounds of funding under the Building Essential Skills through Training (BEST) and BayState Works Initiatives, the Commonwealth mobilized to enhance workers skills by offering basic education and sector-specific skills training. Employers developed partnerships with workforce investment boards, unions, community-based organizations, and education and training providers to create industry-targeted training programs. More than 3,000 entry-level and newly hired workers have built on their essential skills and education through 13 BEST and BEST Older Youth projects led by Workforce Investment Boards. Eighteen new projects currently focus on providing remediation and career development opportunities for older youth, adults, and older workers in industries ranging from health care, manufacturing, human services, hospitality, and culinary arts to finance and banking, aerospace, commercial drivers, automotive and other trades, education, information technology, and nursing. Read more...

To read more about the initial BEST and BEST Older Youth Projects go to:

BEST

BEST Older Youth