Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments RECEIVES $583,722 Workforce Inclusion Grant
Center for Workforce Inclusion, Inc. awards grant directed to assist in workforce training for jobseekers 55+
Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments (TARCOG) was awarded a $583,722 Workforce Inclusion grant from the Center for Workforce Inclusion, Inc. (Center). Almost 90 percent of this grant – originally from the U.S. Department of Labor – will provide temporary employment to no less than 105 low-income older Alabamians living in DeKalb, Jackson, Limestone, Madison, and Marshall Counties. These older adults will participate in the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), a cornerstone program of the Older Americans Act and the only federal job training program targeted exclusively to low-income, older jobseekers.
In its 59th year, SCSEP promotes personal dignity and self-sufficiency through work. The training attained through SCSEP provides in-demand skills for older, unemployed, low-income Americans. The Center, a top-tier U.S. Department of Labor National Grantee of SCSEP, works through a network of local partners delivering career training programs for eligible 50-plus-year- old workers across the United States. To date, the Center has served more than 500,000 eligible older workers in permanent employment through the SCSEP program. “Our long-term, local partners are a key to the strength of the Center and provide the systems to train older Americans into strategic advantage for employers across the country.” said Gary A. Officer, Center for Workforce Inclusion President, and CEO. “We are very pleased to continue our support of the Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments for the 27th consecutive year.”
“SCSEP helps our community’s eligible 55+ jobseekers learn news skills and refresh old ones when they are coming back into the workforce,” said Michelle Jordan, Executive Director of TARCOG. At their training sites, SCSEP job seekers help local community, faith-based, and public agencies carry out their mission, such as the Scottsboro Senior Center, His Way Recovery in Huntsville, the United Givers Fund in DeKalb County, Athens Activity Center and the
Albertville Career Center. By working in SCSEP positions, SCSEP is providing hope and dignity to low-income, older job seekers who have the toughest employment challenges. This grant from the Center is essential to our being able to deliver these vital workforce training services to our community.”
About the Center for Workforce Inclusion
For 60 years, the Center for Workforce Inclusion has worked with older, low-income job seekers overlooked by traditional workforce programs. We trace our roots to the National Council of Senior Citizens, launched in 1962 to advocate for older Americans. We are now the only national entity dedicated exclusively to the workforce development needs of underserved workers over the age of 50. Since our founding, we have empowered nearly 500,000 clients to attain in- demand skills, overcome barriers to employment, and secure employment with more than 5,000 employers in industries that range from financial services, hospitality, and office administration to social services, health care, transportation, and manufacturing. For more information, please visit www.centerforworkforceinclusion.org.