NR No. 23-37
Contact: Loree Levy/Aubrey Henry
916-654-9029
mediainquiries@edd.ca.gov
SACRAMENTO – The California Employment Development Department (EDD) announced today it awarded $2.3 million to the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board (FRWDB) to support outreach, retraining, and reemployment services to the workers and apprentices dislocated by the closure of Bitwise Industries in Fresno.
“The Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board and its partner organizations have over five decades of experience recruiting, training, and successfully placing job seekers,” said EDD Director Nancy Farias. “The assistance provided through this funding will undoubtedly prove to be a valuable resource for this regional workforce as it prepares for a modernizing economy.”
FRWDB will use the funds to provide reemployment training and supportive career services to the displaced workers to help them obtain the skills and experience necessary for in-demand occupations within Fresno and surrounding areas. This will include case management, job readiness training, vocational training, and job placement.
Nearly two-thirds of the 367 workers affected by this closure were working in tech-related occupations, with the remaining workers working in non-tech jobs including social media management, marketing, human resources, real estate, office support, and other specialties. In addition, a portion of the dislocated workers were students who had been provided paid apprenticeships to learn technological skills in underserved cities.
FRWDB will provide a comprehensive suite of services that will help affected workers find new jobs, retraining opportunities leading to new jobs, or new apprenticeship slots directly related to industry needs. EDD is funding State Center Community College District to start a new apprenticeship program as part of this grant
Funding for this grant was provided through discretionary funds made available to Governor Gavin Newsom in accordance with the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and administered by the EDD and the California Labor & Workforce Development Agency.
For more information about FRWDB and its programs, contact Executive Officer Blake G. Konczal at 1-559-490-7100.