Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Monday signed into law three state Senate bills that establish his workforce training initiative.
Senate Bill 891, sponsored by Sen. Jane English, R-North Little Rock, creates a grant program through the Department of Higher Education that workforce training programs will be able to apply for to use for equipment and start-up costs, Hutchinson said.
SB368, also sponsored by English, creates the Office of Skills Development, as well as provides funding for the initiative and restructures the board that oversees the office for a more state-wide emphasis.
SB791, sponsored by Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, R-Little Rock, creates regional boards for the initiative and sets legislative language that will allow the state to maximize opportunities for federal grants, the governor said.
"This is a fairly dramatic change," Gov. Asa Hutchinson said of the workforce initiative. "It's more than a course correction, it's a shift in direction for Arkansas."
Funding for the program will flow through the Office of Workforce Services within career education, Hutchinson said.
An additional $2 million in discretionary money will be put into the Department of Higher Education to help implement systems within two-year colleges and schools to help start these programs.
Hutchinson called the passage of the workforce initiative bills "one of the greatest accomplishments of this [legislative] session."
"There's been a crying need in the state to drive economic development and compete with other national partners and other states and to support the existing industry we have," Hutchinson said.
The success of the program will be measured by a task force chaired by the governor that will look at how many schools participate, the number of graduates from programs and if industries have their workforce needs met, Hutchinson said.
See Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full coverage.