CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon awarded $9.63 million in competitive funding to 27 workforce development, innovation and research programs through the Wyoming Innovation Partnership.
According to a release from the Office of Mark Gordon, the programs — located at community colleges statewide, the University of Wyoming, the Wyoming Department of Education and the Department of Workforce Services — are designed to build a highly skilled workforce needed in nine key industries such as energy, agriculture and software development.
“As WIP moves into its third phase, my focus is on developing programs’ resilience and sustainability. WIP programs are driving our core industries forward and they have an important place in Wyoming’s future. We want to see students ready to work in fields like precision agriculture, advanced manufacturing and powerline technology,” Gordon said in the release. “The programs I granted funding to — and all our ongoing WIP programs — are advancing essential workforce development programs that data shows we need to drive Wyoming’s economy.”
In the release, Gordon cited a nuclear technology program at Western Wyoming Community College as one of the first-year programs important to the future of the state.
Funding for Phase III was made possible by the Wyoming Legislature’s approval of the governor’s request for continued funding. The $15 million in sustainability funds ensures existing WIP-supported workforce programs are firmly established and can stand alone when funding sunsets.
This marks the third time the legislature has funded Gordon’s request. $70 million has been invested to develop workforce resiliency through WIP over the past three years.
The release also included a full list of programs that benefitted from the Phase III funding.
