The New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA), in partnership with the New Hampshire Department of Employment Security (NHES), announced today the award of $6,593,407 in federal grant funding from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA).
The competitive award is part of the U.S. Department of Labor’s national Rapid Reskill Dislocated Worker Grant (DWG) program, authorized under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). New Hampshire’s joint application secured the top funding tier nationwide—one of only 20 projects funded across 17 states—positioning state agencies to rapidly bridge the gap between workers affected by layoffs and high-demand, high-wage Granite State employers.
Through this coordinated cross-agency effort, BEA and NHES will streamline intake, skills assessments, credentialing, and direct employer placements in sectors critical to New Hampshire’s economic foundation, including advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defense, clean energy, and skilled trades.
“New Hampshire’s economy is growing our continued momentum depends on our workforce. This competitive federal grant allows BEA and NH Employment Security to meet dislocated workers where they are and bridge the gap to careers,” said Lucy Lange, Commissioner, New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs. “By partnering directly with our local manufacturers, innovators, and trades, we are creating fast-track pathways to paid apprenticeships and permanent jobs. It keeps our state competitive and ensures our talent stays in New Hampshire.”
"This significant federal investment directly expands our capacity to connect dislocated workers with the resources they need to reenter the workforce with confidence," said Rich Lavers, Commissioner, New Hampshire Employment Security. "By aligning NHES’s statewide career and reemployment infrastructure with BEA’s business development networks, we can shorten unemployment periods and place job seekers into paid training, apprenticeships, and permanent positions within months."
Key Elements of the Joint Rapid Reskill Initiative
- Rapid Placement in 6 Months: Connect participants quickly to full-time employment, Registered Apprenticeships, or paid structured on-the-job training within six months of enrollment.
- Targeted Industry Alignment: Partner directly with New Hampshire employers experiencing acute talent shortages in domestic manufacturing, technology, construction, and emerging sectors.
- Accelerated Credentialing: Provide short-term, intensive training programs resulting in portable, industry-recognized certifications.
- Integrated Service Delivery: Leverage NHES’s statewide American Job Centers (NH WORKS) for rapid intake and case management alongside BEA’s industry-facing workforce pipeline tools.
- Implementation details, training provider networks, and participant intake guidelines will be announced jointly by BEA and NHES in the coming weeks.
For more information on state economic development and workforce initiatives, visit
www.nheconomy.com and
www.nhes.nh.gov.
About the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA)
The Department of Business and Economic Affairs is dedicated to enhancing the economic vitality of the State of New Hampshire. BEA promotes the state’s business climate, supports business growth and recruitment, expands workforce opportunities, and advances tourism, community development, and economic planning.
About the New Hampshire Department of Employment Security (NHES)
New Hampshire Employment Security operates a statewide network of service offices providing comprehensive reemployment services, labor market information, and unemployment compensation to Granite State job seekers and employers.