Ohio’s Individual Microcredential Assistance Program Awards Focus on Broadband-Related Credentialing

Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted (OH-R), who is also Director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation (OWT), awarded four training providers located throughout the state with $592,215 to support 410 broadband or 5G-related credentials through the Individual Microcredential Assistance Program (IMAP). This is the third round of the initiative, which helps Ohioans who are low income, partially unemployed, or totally unemployed participate in a training program and receive one or more credential(s) for free. The selected providers—which include two four-year universities, a career center, and a joint vocational school district—will be reimbursed up to $3,000 for each completed technology-focused credential issued. The most recent round of IMAP provided funding specifically for credentialing programs is a part of a larger effort by OWT and BroadbandOhio to grow the workforce needed to expand broadband access and 5G in Ohio. The “Strengthening Ohio’s Broadband & 5G Workforce” Strategy, lays out a plan for filling the estimated 1,250 jobs needed to expand broadband access and the 32,000 jobs needed to deploy 5G across Ohio. Training will be offered in-person and online, allowing Ohioans to take advantage of the program from anywhere in the state.