City chips in $5M to Good Jobs Oahu initiative

HONOLULU — The City and County of Honolulu will invest $5 million in the new Good Jobs Oahu initiative, a partnership with the University of Hawaii that will support training for Oahu residents to seek higher-paying jobs in industries that diversify the economy.

“Helping our neighbors get good jobs is a sound investment and absolutely vital for the well-being of our community,” said Honolulu Rick Blangiardi. “Good jobs that care for our people and our place are essential to creating a more equitable and diverse economy. I encourage eligible job seekers to look at the opportunities in Good Jobs Oahu and decide if these are career paths that meet their needs.”

A Good Jobs Hawaii statewide initiative is already underway, and the new program will increase overall funding to expand job-training courses offered by the UH Community Colleges. Career pathways include health care, education, clean energy, skilled trades, creative industries and technology as well as careers within the City.

“We are deeply grateful to the City and County of Honolulu for helping us expand opportunities for our kamaaina to qualify for high-quality jobs on Oahu,” said University of Hawaii President David Lassner. “This important partnership will help us provide additional pathways to meet the compelling workforce needs of our Oahu businesses and industries.”

The city also supported an earlier workforce training initiative offered by UH Community Colleges that operated during the pandemic. Through the Oahu Back to Work initiative, offered in 2020 and 2021, more than 3,000 local residents received free skills training to help fill the growing employment gap on Oahu.

“I am excited that this initiative will provide more job opportunities for our local people, especially creating pathways to good city jobs during a time when filling vacant positions with skilled and trained residents is crucial,” said Honolulu City Council Chair Tommy Waters.

“In addition, by investing in Good Jobs Hawaii, we are investing in the future of Oahu, ensuring that our community members have the skills and opportunities they need to thrive in this economy. It’s about empowering our local people, strengthening our workforce, and building a resilient Oahu that is ready for the challenges and opportunities of the future.”

Good Jobs Hawaii launched statewide in January as coordinated effort with more than 300 employers. To date, the initiative has offered free skills training and job placement support to more than 900 people.

More than 50 free training courses for Fall 2023 are now available for sign up here.

Additional support for the Good Jobs Hawaii initiative is provided by government and philanthropic organizations, including the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the U.S. Department of Education, Ascendium Education Group, the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, the Hawaii Community Foundation, and the Hawaii Workforce Funders Collaborative.

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.