Idaho wins $1M to research jobs, education

The state of Idaho was awarded a $1 million grant on Thursday from the U.S. Department of Education to further its research on the links between education and jobs.

The grant was among a dozen announced by the federal government as part of its 2012 Workforce Data Quality initiative.

The money will be used by the Idaho Department of Labor, the Idaho Department of Education and the Idaho State Board of Education to develop a longitudinal database to conduct research and analysis aimed at determining the effectiveness of workforce training and education programs.

The database will eventually allow researchers to determine the kinds of jobs and wages people have based on varying types of training and education so that the value of specific education and training regimens can be assessed.

Also receiving grants were Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, Illinoi, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Washington.

Earlier this spring, Idaho was among 40 states to share over $64 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Labor to continue re-employment and eligibility assessments for unemployment insurance benefit claimants.

The Idaho Department of Labor’s $529,000 grant from U.S. Department of Labor will further the personalized assessments being provided claimants to speed their return to work. The in-person assessments include the development of re-employment plans for claimants, the provision of labor market information relevant to claimants' locations and employment prospects, a complete review of benefit eligibility and a referral to re-employment services and training provided through the department’s 25 local offices.