LSC Gets Grant to Train Women in Non-Traditional, High Wage Jobs

DEED Gives College $63,500

Lake Superior College has gotten a boost in funding to educate more women in non-traditional jobs.

The $63,500 grant came from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

It will help 24 low-income women explore careers in industries like construction and truck driving, receive training resulting in industry-recognized credentials and the ability to earn college credit, participate in job-preparation workshops, and receive support and incentives to reduce barriers to training completion and job retention.

The program will also support services for transportation, childcare, tools and work clothing.

“We’re pleased to offer training for women that will provide good-paying jobs and support families,” said Steve Wagner, director of LSC workforce development. “Both construction and over the road truck driving are high demand industries seeking trained workers to do the job.”

It’s estimated that 40 percent of the gender pay gap is because of women doing different work from men and the lower value placed on female-dominated work.

The workshops will begin in March with carpentry training offered summer 2015 and Over the Road Truck Driving offered fall 2015.

For more information or to apply, contact Sara Romagnoli, SOAR Career Solutions, 218-722-3126, sromagnoli@soarcareers.org.