CONNEC TRAIN CORP.

Award purpose

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:FOR BROADBAND TECHNICIAN TRAINING PROGRAMSCONGRESSIONAL SPONSOR:SENATOR SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO (WV)PROJECT TITLE:MODERNIZING CURRICULUM AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE DATA CABLING AND FIBER OPTIC INSTALLATION TRAINING PROGRAMCOMMUNITY PROJECT ALIGNMENT WITH THE GUIDING PILLARS OF THE WORKFORCE SYSTEM: (SEE ATTACHMENT F FOR A DESCRIPTION OF EACH WORKFORCE PILLAR.) X -OPEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR VULNERABLE WORKERS AND COMMUNITIES X -NEW INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS THAT LEAD TO REAL, GOOD JOBS X -ACTION TODAY FOR THE FUTURE OF WORKPROJECT PURPOSE AND GOALS:IN LATE 2022, CONNEC TRAIN CORP SECURED AN ARC POWER GRANT TO IMPLEMENT THE REGION S FIRST DATA CABLING AND FIBER OPTIC INSTALLATION TRAINING PROGRAM. THIS GROUNDBREAKING INITIATIVE AIMS TO TRAIN AND EMPOWER 80 FORMER COAL MINERS, DISLOCATED WORKERS, STUDENTS, AND OTHER COAL-IMPACTED WEST VIRGINIA RESIDENTS, OPENING DOORS TO WELL-PAID, SUSTAINABLE ENTRY-LEVEL BROADBAND TECHNICIAN POSITIONS. RECOGNIZING THE EVER-EVOLVING LANDSCAPE OF TECHNOLOGY, THE TRAINING PROGRAM URGENTLY NEEDS A BOOST. THE EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES, AND CURRICULUM PROCURED PREVIOUSLY HAVE FALLEN BEHIND THE INDUSTRY S RAPID ADVANCEMENTS. THIS PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON REVAMPING THE CURRICULUM AND UPGRADING THE PROGRAM EQUIPMENT, ENSURING TRAINEES EMERGE ARMED WITH CUTTING-EDGE KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICAL SKILLS DEMANDED BY THE INDUSTRY.PROJECT ACTIVITIES: THE PROJECT WILL UNDERTAKE TWO PIVOTAL ACTIVITIES TO ENSURE ITS SUCCESS: UPDATING THE EXPIRED CURRICULUM AND UPGRADING THE OUTDATED EQUIPMENT. THESE ACTIONS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE PROJECT S DESIGN AND SERVE A PROFOUND PUBLIC PURPOSE, EMPOWERING OUR TRAINEES AND CATAPULTING OUR REGION INTO THE FOREFRONT OF TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION.PROPOSED PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:12 MONTHSPROJECT LOCATION:HUNTINGTON, WV AND CHARLESTON, WVTARGET POPULATIONS OR INTENDED BENEFICIARIES:FORMER COAL MINERS, DISLOCATED WORKERS, STUDENTS, AND OTHER COAL-IMPACTED WEST VIRGINIA RESIDENTSPERFORMANCE OUTCOME GOALS:UPDATE FIBER OPTIC AND BROADBAND TRAINING CURRICULUM: THIS WILL ENSURE A COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION THAT REFLECTS INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES, EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, AND THE LATEST ADVANCEMENTS IN THE FIELD, ENABLING TRAINEES TO REMAIN AT THE FOREFRONT OF TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGHOUT THEIR CAREERS. UPGRADE FIBER OPTIC AND BROADBAND TRAINING EQUIPMENT: WILL ENABLE TRAINEES TO GAIN HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WITH INDUSTRY-GRADE TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL EMPOWER PARTICIPANTS TO APPLY THEIR KNOWLEDGE IN REAL-WORLD SCENARIOS CONFIDENTLY. MAINTAIN THE DATA CABLING AND FIBER OPTIC INSTALLATION TRAINING PROGRAM S INDUSTRY RELEVANCE: THIS WILL ALIGN THE TRAINING PROGRAM WITH THE DEMANDS OF THE TELECOMMUNICATION INDUSTRY, ENSURING THAT THE TRAINING REMAINS RELEVANT AND RESPONSIVE TO CURRENT AND FUTURE MARKET NEEDS. QUANTITATIVE PERFORMANCE OUTCOME GOALS:FOSTER AN ENVIRONMENT THAT PROMOTES A HIGH SUCCESS RATE FOR PROGRAM TRAINEES: TO ENSURE A HIGH SUCCESS RATE AMONG TRAINEES THAT OBTAIN THE ELECTRICIAN TECHNICIAN ASSOCIATION (ETA) CREDENTIALS IN DATA CABLING INSTALLERS CERTIFICATION (DCIC) AND FIBER OPTICS INSTALLER (FOI) CERTIFICATION. OBJECTIVE: TO HAVE AT LEAST 80 OF TRAINEES PASS THE EXAMS AND EARN THEIR CERTIFICATIONS, VALIDATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR TRAINING PROGRAM. SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT FOR WEST VIRGINIANS AFFECTED BY THE COAL INDUSTRY: TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC IMPACT IN THE REGION BY PRODUCING A HIGHLY SKILLED WORKFORCE.OBJECTIVE: RE-SKILL AT LEAST 80 COAL-INDUSTRY-AFFECTED INDIVIDUALS FOR ENTRY-LEVEL BROADBAND INDUSTRY JOBS IN WEST VIRGINIA. SUB-RECIPIENTS: N A ---SEE ABSTRACT IN ATTACHMENT D---