AWI Receives Grant to Help Unemployed Floridians Find Jobs

TALLAHASSEE – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced Florida as one of 25 states to receive a share of $26.5 million in grants for the Re-employment and Eligibility Assessment (REA) Initiative. Florida will receive $3,078,796 to provide unemployment compensation beneficiaries with additional assistance in finding jobs.

“The Agency for Workforce Innovation is dedicated to securing additional funds to enhance our services to Floridians who are depending on us,” said AWI Director Cynthia R. Lorenzo. “This $3 million grant is an example of our diligent efforts. It will help boost our reemployment services by providing jobseekers with additional job training and placement assistance.”

The REA Initiative funds will provide for increased staffing at local One-Stop Career Centers to conduct in-person assessments of unemployed Floridians. These assessments will be used to determine which services and/or training are most beneficial for each customer, thus providing a more focused job search. Florida’s share of the grant expands the number of Regional Workforce Boards offering these specialized services from six to 19 of the state’s 24 regions.

For more information on unemployment insurance and Department of Labor training and employment programs, visit http://www.doleta.gov. For more information on Florida’s Regional Workforce Boards, please visit http://www.workforceflorida.com/boards/index.htm or www.floridajobs.org.

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