DRAFT EDA in the 4th District

RIVERSIDE COUNTY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENT IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY

S ERVICES , COLLABORATION , AND OUTREACH

Riverside County Workforce Development routinely invests federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act ( WIOA ) funded services to businesses in the Coachella Valley . Such services include hiring and recruitment events , pre - screening of job applicants , and reimbursement for on - the - job training of referred job - seekers . For Individuals seeking employment , services include one - on - one career counseling , free internet and computer usage , resume - writing assistance , mock interviewing , and subsidized vocational training . Between July of 2014 and June of 2019 , 86 residents of the Coachella Valley received services under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act ( WIOA ). Of those residents , 24 received vocational training for an investment of almost $ 114 , 000 . For 24 years , Riverside County has held a Valley - wide Employment Expo in Indio . The event matches job - seekers with employers that have job openings . The Riverside County Workforce Development Board ’ s Eastern Regional Committee has sponsored Workforce Development Summits to connect Coachella Valley businesses with workforce services available through the County and the State . Riverside County invested American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funds in retraining Coachella Valley residents who lost their jobs during the recession . As part of the initiative ’ s solar energy training program , almost 400 individuals received training and over 17 solar companies located in the Desert hired those individuals . Nursing Workforce Initiative funds of $ 861 , 659 were awarded to Riverside County in 2002 to address the existing nursing shortage . Under the initiative , 20 Certified Nurse Assistants trained at the Desert Regional Medical Center to become Licensed Vocational Nurses . Riverside County invested Care - Giver Training Initiative funds to train migrant and seasonal farmworkers in the Coachella Valley to become Certified Nurse Assistants ( CNA ). Using a vocational English as a Second Language approach , 14 farmworkers completed the training and passed the State test in English to become licensed CNAs . Riverside County also invested funds from the California New Start --- Prison to Employment Program to link 85 Coachella Valley ex - offenders to jobs in their community , reducing their chance of returning to criminal activities . Since 2011 from several State grants to serve Veterans in the Coachella Valley . Under the initiative , Veterans received vocational or on the job training . Included were eight corpsmen who received 36 hours of training required for the State Vocational Nurse Examination . SPECIAL GRANT FUNDING