Arkansas to get more worker training funds

Arkansas will get another $1.77 million in funds to provide help to people who lose their jobs for trade-related reasons, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

The department’s Trade Adjustment Assistance program was designed to provide career training, job search and relocation assistance to workers who lose their jobs based on factors that can be attributed to trade agreements and/or production being moved out of the U.S.

The number of unemployed in the Fort Smith metro area has risen from 5,711 in March 2008 to 10,100 in March 2009, a 76.8% increase. It’s likely a significant portion of those qualified for TAA support. Arkansas lost 16,800 manufacturing jobs between March 2008 and March 2009.

Arkansas will have received $3.19 million in TAA funding from the federal government during fiscal year 2009. Overall, the Labor Department is pushing another $101.19 million to 41 states who qualify for the balance of the TAA funds from the fiscal year 2009 budget. The Labor Department projects it will provide $189.75 billion in TAA support to all states during the fiscal year.

The Labor Department statement also noted: “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) includes a major expansion and reform of the TAA program to ensure that all U.S. workers negatively affected by trade have the skills, resources and support to become re-employed. Mandated reforms to the TAA program will take effect May 18. Among these, the Recovery Act raises the annual cap on TAA training funds from $220 million to $575 million. The department soon will announce additional TAA training allocations to all states, based on the increased funding authorization to support implementation of the enhanced program."