The intent for the our Coalition is to be a nation- al demonstration program for how to improve workforce development in rural, persistent poverty counties. In Wider West Alabama this requires us to work across sectors.
Our nine component projects address training and credentialing needs, education pathway options, company recruitment and outreach, research and development, as well as childcare, transportation, and behavioral health. With each doing their part to work toward an electric vehicle future.
Accordingly, the collective DRIVE Coalition seeks to:
Our nine component projects address training and credentialing needs, education pathway options, company recruitment and outreach, research and development, as well as childcare, transportation, and behavioral health. With each doing their part to work toward an electric vehicle future.
Accordingly, the collective DRIVE Coalition seeks to:
- increase workforce participation in the Black Belt from 37%, which is 20 points below the state average, to over 40%. This would be an 8% change over the period of this grant.
- rachet up recruitment of EV related companies, including infrastructure, to the area. We expect investments in 40 economic developers for region, recruitment of 20 AMP partner companies, and 5 companies recruited to region beyond the TIDE3 component.
- train and newly credential over 15,000 individuals in Wider West Alabama in four years. Individuals will be prepared for middle and high skilled careers as well as post-secondary education.
- introduce over 15,000 high school and middle school students to careers in the automotive industry, specifically the EV field.
- lower high school drop out rate by 40%, lower the percentage of high school graduate not continuing onto college by also 40%, increase college going rates by 25%, and increase high school seniors completing the Federal Application for Student Financial Aid to 95% — by giving every 8th and 11th grader in the Wider West Alabama (currently 12,749) and Individual College and Career Success Plan.
- make available transportation options to a minimum of 5,000 individuals yearly by introducing employer-based mobility and scaling public transit-based mobility options.