DEED Grants Help Beef Up Local Organization’s Workforce Training Program

(KNSI) – A St. Cloud organization has received two grants from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development for job skills training.

CAIRO MN is the only area nonprofit selected. It has been picked for a $330,000 Transformative Career Pathways Workforce Training grant and will get another $49,000 via a Transformative Career Pathways Capacity Building grant.

The program is designed to help people from under-represented communities, namely minorities and low-income neighborhoods, find jobs with wages high enough to support families. It focuses on industries where there is a worker shortage, primarily healthcare.

DEED Deputy Commissioner Marc Majors says, “Identifying talented candidates and connecting them with strong trainings with industry-recognized certifications will help employers meet their labor needs. These training programs and services are good for workers, employers and our state’s economy.”

CAIRO MN caters to the area’s Somali and east African community. In addition to career preparation and workforce training, the organization has programs focused on housing stability and healthcare access.

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