A $6.4 million grant from the California Employment Development Department will be used to retrain 1,187 jobless migrant and seasonal farm workers statewide for new careers in the allied health field, industrial maintenance, retail trade/service, and the green and renewable energy sector.

“The recession dealt a heavy blow to farm workers statewide, a population already struggling with high unemployment,” said EDD Chief Deputy Director Sharon Hilliard. “This grant will help them move from jobs with few opportunities for advancement into new careers with bright futures. They will receive the training needed for a broad array of jobs, including positions in green and renewable energy.”

The grant was awarded to La Cooperativa Campesina de California to provide employment and retraining services to migrant and seasonal farm workers throughout California. Training in the green efficient and renewable energy sectors, allied health fields, industrial maintenance, and retail trade/services will help these workers develop the skills they need to compete for new job opportunities.

Funding for the program is drawn from the Governor’s 25 percent portion of Dislocated Worker Funds, Title I of the Workforce Investment Act, and is under the administrative authority of the Labor and Workforce Development Agency’s EDD.

For more information about this project, contact Marco Lizarraga, La Cooperativa Campesina de California, at (916) 388-2220.