News Releases
The latest news and announcements from Mayor London N. Breed

New Funding For TechSF Initiative To Train S.F. Residents For High Tech Jobs

U.S. Department of Labor Grants Provide Additional Funds for San Franciscans to Receive Job Training for New Economy

Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) awarded San Francisco with an additional $3 million in Workforce Innovation grants to train and reskill San Francisco residents for the City’s growing number of technology and IT jobs. The City’s TechSF Initiative received $5 million from DOL in March.

“Making sure that San Franciscans receive the skills and training they need to compete in the 21st century job market is a cornerstone of my economic strategy and critical to our City’s economic recovery,” said Mayor Lee. “I thank the Obama Administration for investing in public-private partnerships that strengthen workforce training and bridge the skills gap between our residents and the good paying jobs that many of our tech companies are creating right here in San Francisco.”

“The Workforce Innovation Fund was created to cultivate and test innovative approaches to workforce training and encourage the replication of evidence-based practices in the workforce development field,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. “Developing new and creative strategies and expanding existing programs we know work will help make the workforce system more effective to unemployed Americans and employers looking for qualified employees.”

The DOL Workforce Innovation Fund, in part, focuses on partnerships with specific industry sectors to develop programs to provide current and future job skill needs and the grants help develop the most effective strategies in workforce development. San Francisco was one of only 26 grant recipients nationwide.

Mayor Lee launched the TechSF initiative in March. The new $3 million funding will pilot the TechSF—Workforce Innovation project to transform workforce service delivery by leveraging and building upon San Francisco’s tech industry and TechSF Initiative. TechSF—Workforce Innovation uses best practices and pilots technological innovations and non-traditional workforce training methods in the IT and digital media sectors to bridge the current skills gap. The initiative will be replicable beyond the IT sector; relevant to other labor markets throughout and beyond the regional economy; and will diversify the workforce.

The City will work with industry employers to identify job needs—including mentoring, internships, interviews, curriculum development and co-teaching.