City staff presented an update on 'Skill to Build,' a workforce and small-business readiness program designed to connect local firms and jobseekers to major upcoming mobility investments.

Economic development director Shahid Rana said the program will follow three phases: (1) a curriculum-development RFP (issued Dec. 8), (2) nonprofit-facilitated delivery and grants, and (3) direct business engagement to prepare firms to bid on contracting opportunities. The RFP platform showed 107 attendees at a pre-proposal meeting and five completed submissions so far; staff said these counts would likely grow before the extended deadline.

Office of Workforce Development Director Danielle Frasier described two grant competitions: a $1.2 million talent-development grant (supporting up to four to six organizations at up to $250,000 each) and a $900,000 business-engagement grant (intended to fund a single coordinating entity). Because early submissions were lower than expected, both grant and RFP deadlines were extended to Feb. 3 to broaden outreach.

Council members asked for implementation details, employer engagement metrics, and evidence that training leads to placements. Frasier said the office would provide data in upcoming council memos and would include options for stipends or on-the-job training to reduce barriers for trainees.

What happens next: Staff will continue outreach, provide a gap-analysis and placement data to council, and select curriculum vendors and grant recipients after the extended deadline.