Collectively, the Regional Centers are the long-term delivery structure of the Program. They provide regional sites to respond to employer and worker needs that support the strategic initiative areas. Existing centers are on a competitive bid schedule, on average every five years. Regional Centers provide a foundation for long-term, sustained relationships with businesses, labor and colleges in the region. They support, develop and deliver direct services to businesses, colleges, labor organizations, employees and employers in an economic region of the state. Regional Centers provide direct services such as curriculum development, faculty training, assessment, one-on-one counseling, seminars, workshops, conferences, training, technology transfer and educational services. Regional Centers are mandated to follow prescriptive criteria and a highly delineated scope of work and deliver services for a particular Strategic Priority Initiative, which include Advanced Transportation and Energy; Biotechnologies; Applied Competitive Technologies; International Trade Development; Business and Workforce Performance Improvement; Health Occupations; Multimedia & Entertainment; Environmental Safety, Health and Homeland Security; Small Business Development; and Workplace Learning Resources. Centers also provide technical assistance to colleges within the region to meet the business and workforce education and instructional needs in their districts. There are more than 100 Regional Centers serving all areas of the state.
Statewide Network Leadership, Organizational Development, Coordination, In-formation and Support Services implement the Strategic Priority Initiatives and provide technical assistance. The statewide support services grants, leadership positions for each initiative, rural opportunities studies (added in 2006-07), in-service training for faculty (added in 2006-07), and evaluation costs are included in this category.
Three Specialized Categories of Short-Term Grant Opportunities
A. Industry-Driven Regional Collaboratives (IDRCs). IDRC projects are demand-driven, agile, and contribute to regional economic growth and competitiveness. These funds, which provide colleges the time to develop new projects, are short-term (up to 24 months) and assist local community colleges to meet needs identified in regional economic plans, such as gaps in training and services for employees and employers, or allow faculty to develop a new curriculum with industry partners. Education Code section88520(e) describes IDRC grants as projects with a regional public, private, or other community organizational structure that jointly defines priorities, delivers services across programs and sectors, and is in response to, or driven by, industry needs. The IDRC component is always oversubscribed – more eligible projects than there are funds available. Funded projects are often the precursors of new, emerging areas of interest for colleges. For information about these grants, contact Laura Casillas.
B. The Incumbent Worker Responsive Training Fund was established in 2006-07 to:
(1) Expand the delivery of performance improvement training to employers and incumbent workers in high growth industries; and/or
(2) Foster “bridging” basic skills education to career technical programs in colleges that provide high-end career pathways.
For more information about these grants, contact Kathy Pulse.
C. The Job Development Incentive Training Fund (JDIF) provides training on a no-cost or low-cost basis to participating employers who create employment opportunities at an acceptable wage level for the attainment of self-sufficiency, either within their own companies or through their suppliers, for welfare recipients and the working poor. These projects depend on strong partnerships with state and local economic development entities, workforce development agencies, community-based organizations and the private sector. Projects must lead to the upgrading of highly-skilled and technical workers, while attempting to develop upgrade opportunities for those who are employed at a wage too low to attain self-sufficiency, and/or the creation of job opportunities for new entrants into the workforce. For more information about these grants, contact Kathy Pulse.