View Full Version : OCCC Receives One-of-a-Kind Grant



Intrepid
04-02-2008, 05:49 PM
OCCC Receives One-of-a-Kind Grant (http://www.occc.edu/NewsReleases/One-of-a-Kind.html)

Oklahoma City Community College received an historic grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. The $1.72 million grant will fund the college’s new program titled Building a Clinical Research Track in the Health Careers Ladder.

The grant allows one-of-a-kind degrees and certificates in clinical research that will serve as a national model for this type of instruction. OCCC is also partnering with the Central Oklahoma Workforce Investment Board which has offered a tuition match for every student who enrolls in the program.

“This program creates a pipeline of thousands of students able to fill much needed jobs in the areas of clinical research and clinical trials,” said Sonya Williams, Chair of OCCC’s Division of Science and Mathematics. “Those completing the new program will immediately be available to work in these fields.”

OCCC is one of 69 community colleges in 36 states to receive the grant under the President’s Community-Based Job Training Grants Initiative.

Introduced by President Bush in his 2004 State of the Union address, Community-Based Job Training Grants improve the ability of community colleges to provide their region’s workers with the skills needed to enter growing industries.

Locally, the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, United Health and Integris Health all have vacancies in clinical research positions.

“Our goal is to take this opportunity to Oklahoma high school and middle school students and motivate them to look at the possibility of a career in these fields,” Williams said.

“Community colleges are in a unique position to prepare local workers for careers in high-growth industries,” said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “The $125 million awarded will expand enrollment in education and training programs and provide more workers with the skills they need to succeed.”

For more information on the President’s Community-Based Job Training Grants, visit The President’s Community-Based Job Training Grants, Employment & Training Administration (ETA) - U.S. Department of Labor (http://www.doleta.gov/business/Community-BasedJobTrainingGrants.cfm).