Department of Employment Services Announces $1.2 Million Investment into New Capital Workforce Innovation Consortium

(WASHINGTON, DC) - On Monday, October 21 at the DC Start Up and Tech Week kickoff, the Bowser Administration's Department of Employment Services (DOES) announced an investment of $1.2 million into the Capital Workforce Innovation Consortium, a next-generation sector partnership between private and public entities aimed at confronting workforce challenges in the District of Columbia. Over the next year, through this investment, the Consortium will provide capacity building, technical assistance, and tools free of cost to training providers in the District. The Consortium will also have the ability to provide grants to support training providers, such as registered apprenticeship sponsors and pre-apprenticeship sponsors, and institutions of higher education to provide training that will address skill and talent gaps and create a new pipeline in the fields of innovation and technology. Additionally, one of the pillars of the consortium's mission is the launch of Skills Nation DC, a digital hub where residents can apply for high-quality training programs, on-the-job training, and apprenticeships, connecting them directly with companies that are part of the consortium.
"Through this investment, we're ensuring District training providers have the support needed to build a skilled workforce ready for today's economy," said DOES Director Unique Morris-Hughes "Also with the launch of SkillsNation, residents can now apply for high-quality training programs and apprenticeships, connecting directly with companies in the Capital Workforce Innovation Consortium. Applications are now open, offering new opportunities in innovation and technology."

The Capital Workforce Innovation Consortium is specifically designed work with untapped talent to benefit founders, investors, and companies by focusing on creating clear, in-demand career pathways that align with current job markets, improving the quality of training to ensure it's relevant to the industry needs of startups and the tech sector, and developing industry-specific training programs to equip workers with the skills needed most. Incentives were also announced for companies participating in the consortium that include $200,000 in training funding and $50,000 awarded in $10,000 increments to start-ups that hire DC residents as full-time apprentices with funding provided by the United States Department of Labor Apprenticeship Building America program.