IFPTE Officers Meet with Chattanooga Mayor on Workforce Development

IFPTE President, Matt Biggs, and Secretary-Treasurer, Gay Henson, met this week in Chattanooga, Tennessee with the City’s Mayor, Tim Kelly, to discuss IFPTE’s efforts to stand up a STEM workforce training center. 

Biggs commented that “the meeting comes at a time when the Department of Labor recently announced that $150 million in appreciate grants will be awarded to worthy applicants”, while Secretary-Treasurer Henson noted that “IFPTE intends to partner with the AFT, Jobs with Justice, and other partners in our efforts to secure some of the DOL workforce development grants to help stand up a center in Chattanooga.” 

The grants are intended to provide workforce development opportunities geared towards meeting the needs of employers while also raising wages through building union density in the deep South.  Assistant to the Executive Officers, Brian Kildee, along with partners from AFT and JWJ were also in attendance.