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WorkSource Southwest Georgia outlines $985,000 dislocated-worker grant and local hiring supports
Summary
A presenter for WorkSource Southwest Georgia told the Miller County board the region received a Dislocated Worker Recovery grant, with $985,000 allocated to the presenter’s service area to help dislocated workers and to subsidize employer on-the-job training; staff asked the board to help publicize the opportunity and connect employers for OJT contracts.
A presenter from WorkSource Southwest Georgia told the Miller County board the Office of Workforce Development was awarded a National Dislocated Worker Employment Recovery Grant and that the presenter’s service area will use $985,000 of the award to help dislocated workers and people facing employment barriers.
"We were awarded originally $1.8 million," the presenter said. "What we decided is that, okay, we'll take 985,000 of that 1.8, give the coastal area the remainder so they have something to work with." The presenter said the grant targets dislocated workers, including those affected by a recent Georgia Pacific plant closure, and that the funds must be spent before June 30, 2027.
The presenter explained how WorkSource programs operate under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and described services for adults, dislocated workers and youth. The program does not itself deliver most classroom training but subsidizes approved training providers and pays support services when participants meet eligibility rules. On the employer side, the presenter said WorkSource can contract for on-the-job training (OJT) lasting up to one year and that the program will "reimburse salary only, not fringe, 50% of that salary" for incumbent hires or new hires placed through an OJT contract.
The presenter asked the board to help spread information about the grant and to connect businesses that might sign OJT contracts or take participants for interviews. Board members agreed to accept literature and place digital copies on the county website; staff said they would coordinate delivery of outreach materials.
Why it matters: County businesses and residents displaced by local plant closures can access training subsidies and employer wage reimbursement through the funding, which could accelerate re-employment if employers participate in OJT contracts.
Next steps: The presenter said staff will email outreach materials to county staff and continue local outreach; county staff will post the materials to the county website and help connect interested employers and participants.
