The State of Ohio will provide $12 million in grant funding to support its Broadband & 5G Sector Partnership as it works to implement the state’s broadband and 5G workforce strategy, according to Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted, who serves as Director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation (OWT).
The “Strengthening Ohio’s Broadband & 5G Workforce” Strategy, released in September 2021, called for the creation of the Ohio Broadband & 5G Sector Partnership that is now housed at The Ohio State University and is led by the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA).
“WIA is proud to be one of the key partners with OWT and The Ohio State University supporting the development and implementation of Ohio’s broadband and 5G workforce strategy to build a strong talent pipeline across the state,” said WIA CTO Dr. Rikin Thakker. “This additional funding will be crucial for advancing regional training programs that will strengthen Ohio’s broadband workforce and make it a national leader in broadband and 5G deployment.”
The $12 million grant includes $3 million through the Good Jobs Challenge to support the Sector Partnership’s operations through 2024, including $300,000 for equipment to help support new programs across the state. Another $9 million in QUEST funding will come from the U.S. Department of Labor to create a talent pipeline of talent for businesses.
Since the strategy launched in 2021, Ohio has announced 11 new programs, which prepare participants for a variety of jobs in the telecommunications industry. Thanks to the grant money, the Sector Partnership will continue to develop and distribute additional education and training programs.
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