Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor Hilda L. Solis addressed New Orleans educators, non-profit executives and business leaders regarding grant opportunities available to the local community for workforce training and development. Secretary Solis delivered her speech “The Economy and the Workforce: A Conversation on Education and Training” at Xavier University on Thursday.
“I am pleased to lead a special effort that the White House and the President have deemed very important to get to how we can make government more reliable, accountable and flexible to the needs of the local community,” said Secretary Solis. “We do have staff assigned here from the Department of Labor who can help you cut through some of the red tape in terms of workforce investment, workforce training and some of the grant opportunities available.”
After introducing Department of Labor officials, Secretary Solis recognized New Orleans Job Corps Center Director Amelia Oliver. “Amelia Oliver is here representing Job Corps. Job Corps is a program run by the Department of Labor. You need to learn more about it if you’re interested in helping young people find employment and if you’re interested in hiring young people who have certificates after going through the program. So if you haven’t heard of us (Job Corps,) please make sure you talk to Amelia after the meeting today,” said Secretary Solis.
Secretary Solis highlighted recent department accomplishments : Increasing Access to higher education; helping students and families pay for college; providing tax credits to help families pay for college and making college more affordable and then she stressed again the “vital role Job Corps plays in transforming the lives of at-risk youth in the local community between the ages of 16-24.”