Community Colleges

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NIFA Invests $4.7 Million in Agricultural Workforce Training at Community Colleges (AFRI A7601)

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The Agricultural Workforce Training at Community Colleges (AWT) program area within the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative seeks to develop a workforce ready for the field as well as industry jobs in the food and agricultural sector. Through the development of new workforce training programs, or the expansion, improvement or renewal of existing workforce training programs at community, junior and technical colleges/institutes, this program will expand job-based, experiential learning opportunities, acquisition of industry-accepted credentials and occupational competencies for students to enable a work-ready labor force for the 21st century.

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2022 Awardees

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UA Cossatot Chosen To Receive US Department Of Labor Grant Of Nearly $1.6 Million

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 16, 2023

CONTACT: Loren Hinton, Community Relations Coordinator

UA Cossatot Chosen To Receive US Department Of Labor Grant Of Nearly $1.6 Million

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $50 million in grants to help 15 community colleges in 14 states expand access to education and training for good-paying jobs and equitably meet employers’ and workers’ skill development needs.

The funding announced today – together with the $45 million awarded in September 2022 – is a combined investment of $95 million since 2022 in the community college system from the Department of Labor under the Biden-Harris administration, allowing 28 community colleges in 24 states to provide career pathways for participants to train in healthcare, teaching, clean energy and other key industries.

In January 2023, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that full-time college graduates earn almost twice as much each week as workers with high school diplomas. For people in marginalized and underserved communities, a lack of access to education and training hinders career pathways and often worsens their economic disparities.

“Community colleges offer accessibility and affordability that make them great options for people in marginalized and underrepresented communities to learn the skills needed to succeed in the workforce,” said Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “Combined with our September 2022 funding, today’s award will put $95 million to work to help community colleges in 24 states tailor their curriculum to respond to regional labor market needs, continue the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to investing in education programs that connect people to quality jobs, and create a more inclusive and equitable workforce.”

Upon the announcement of the grant, UA Cossatot Chancellor Dr. Steve Cole said, "This grant will mean 1.6 million dollars to our college to aid us in our ongoing effort to help hard-to-reach students succeed in certain education and medical programs. This is fantastic news for our college and our area!"

Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration, the third round of Strengthening Community Colleges training grants will enable recipients to increase educational and economic opportunities for people in underrepresented communities. Grants will provide opportunities to design and align education and training to respond to regional and state labor market needs through accelerated learning pathways.

In March 2022, the department announced funding availability for the second round of Strengthening Community College Training grants. A subsequent announcement – in June 2022 – made $50 million available for the round of funding awarded today.


Grant recipients include:


Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas

De Queen, AR $1,597,031



Los Angeles Community College District

Sylmar, CA$ 1,600,000



Arapahoe Community College

Littleton, CO $4,989,434



College of Central Florida

Ocala, FL $4,732,384



William Rainey Harper College

Palatine, IL $1,599,842

Des Moines Area Community College

Ankeny, IA $4,999,094



Minnesota State Community and Technical College

Fergus Falls, MN $4,201,050

County College of Morris

Randolph, NJ $1,600,000



Lorain County Community College District

Elyria, OH $5,000,000

Tulsa Community College

Tulsa, OK $1,600,000



Northeastern Technical College

Cheraw, SC $4,900,636



Piedmont Technical College

Greenwood, SC $4,987,461



Brazosport College

Lake Jackson, TX $1,598,762



Southside Virginia Community College

Alberta, VA $1,599,530



Chippewa Valley Technical College

Eau Claire, WI $4,994,776

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UA Cossatot joins AACC/Microsoft Cyber Skills Initiative

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UA Cossatot was recently selected as one of 14 community colleges across the nation to participate in the Cyber Skills for All initiative, made possible by a partnership between the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and Microsoft. In addition to receiving a grant of $20,000, UA Cossatot will be part of a community of practice consisting of community college workforce and economic development executives across the nation aimed at skilling people for participation in the digital economy.

UA Cossatot Chancellor Dr. Steve Cole said, “Joining the Cyberskills initiative aligns perfectly with UA Cossatot's new offerings in Cybersecurity we will be offering on our Nashville campus as part of the UA Cyberlearn Network. Cybersecurity is the absolute most important topic for individuals and businesses, and UA Cossatot is gearing up to prepare our workforce to address the needs for Cybersecurity experts in our area.”

“Cyber skills have become increasingly important for community colleges to provide students as their need from the workforce continues to grow,” said Dr. Walter G. Bumphus, AACC’s president and CEO. “Selected community colleges will have the opportunity to learn best practices from one another to deliver high-quality, industry-relevant cyber skills education to all students.”

“The United States faces a cybersecurity skills crisis – we simply don’t have enough people to combat the increasing number of cybersecurity attacks,” said Kate Behncken, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft

Philanthropies. “By working with AACC we can help ensure there are enough people with the necessary skills to keep organizations secure and people safe.”

“As technology evolves so do the skills needed to protect the nation’s technology infrastructure,” said Dr. Walter G. Bumphus, AACC’s president and CEO. “Working together with Microsoft, we will provide these community colleges with resources to ensure students learn the relevant skills needed in the workforce. Selected community colleges will have the opportunity to learn best practices from one another to continue to deliver high-quality, industry-relevant cyber skills education to all students.

Other institutions part of the second cohort include: Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College; Hostos Community College; North Hennepin Community College; Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (WSU Tech); Community College of Philadelphia; Central Community College; Bellevue College; Southwest Tennessee Community College; Blue Ridge Community and Technical College; College of Western Idaho; Tulsa Community College; City Colleges of Chicago; and College of Southern Nevada.