Employment improvement could trigger less federal funding

LIHUE — Kauai job seekers benefit from federal dollars to assist with training and work-related efforts — but improvement in job numbers may signal less funding ahead.

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono on Friday announced that $8.7 million in federal funds was secured for job training. The U.S. Labor Department funds come under the Workforce Investment Act and need to be approved annually.

The funds will go to state Workforce Development “One-Stop Centers” for skills assessments, job search and resume help, job training and apprenticeships.

“One-Stop Centers are a useful resource that can make a real difference for people who want to work, and today’s announcement is good news for Hawaii job-seekers and their families,” Hirono said.

WorkWise Kauai is among the recipients that will use the public funds in addition to private partnerships and collaborations to provide job-training services.

WorkWise Kauai Branch Manager Eric Nordmeier said the funds are typically an annual release and not in addition to anticipated monies. The total funds allocated is released to the state, which in turn divides the funds based on county population and unemployment rate.

There could be other factors unknown at this time, he added. It is not know how much WorkWise Kauai will be receiving to manage programs, but with a reduction of the unemployment rate, they anticipate a reduction of funding.

“In most cases this reduction does not severely impact the services or assistance we are able to provide to job seekers and employers,” Nordmeier said. “Annually, Kauai receives enough monies to operate and I do not foresee any changes this coming year in the services and assistance we are able to provide to job seekers and employers.”

Info: WorkWise Kauai offices, 4444 Rice St. #302, Lihue; 274-3056 or www.workwisekauai.com