This unique project will serve 665 individuals over a two-year period.  Through  business and community partners, Workforce Connection plans to provide training, support services and placement assistance to the unemployed, low-income residents, high school dropouts and offenders. A variety of training tracks in the green jobs areas will be provided over the next two years. Training areas include energy-efficient building construction and retrofitting, solar installation, bio-fuel manufacturing and distribution, energy efficient assessment, green manufacturing, recycling and sustainable agriculture.

This project not only serves 665 individuals, it is designed to improve the economic and quality of life of West Ocala. This grant will also support current efforts by the City of Ocala including the implementation of the Enterprise Zone.

Workforce Connection, serving Citrus, Levy and Marion Counties, is the first Workforce Board in Florida to access special stimulus funds for subsidized employment. The pilot program with the Florida Department of Children and Families Call Center that funded 76 new temporary jobs in our region is being expanded to include private employers in addition to not-for-profit and public sector employers.

Florida Back to Work is a viable way to create new jobs as we face tremendous unemployment in our region. Funding comes from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds, available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s (ARRA) Emergency Contingency Fund (ECF). Florida can provide up to $200 million in additional one-time, non-recurring federal funds for jobs for Florida’s neediest citizens. Positions can be funded through September 30, 2010.

Private, public and not-for-profit employers can participate in the unique grant funding to subsidize up to 100 percent of the wages and up to 80 percent of the non-wage costs through September 30, 2010 for eligible low income applicants. Eighty percent of some benefits may be able to be reimbursed. Workforce will reimburse employers for monthly wages and applicable benefits paid during the previous month.

Job candidates eligible for the employment program will include parents with a child younger than 18 whose family income is less than 200% of federal poverty level in the last 30 days. Applicants must be enrolled on www.EmployFlorida.com to apply for jobs . Workforce will screen applicants for eligibility and skills to meet employer needs.

Download the FACT SHEET, and call Workforce if you need more information at 352-873-7939, ext. 1606.