DelDOT’s Office of Civil Rights receives a grant from the Delaware Department of Labor for a new program.
The $75,000 grant will allow DelDOT’s Office of Civil Rights to implement the TRAIN Program. TRAIN stands for Today’s Reinvestment Around Industry Needs.
"What this is, is a program that will be a collaboration between public and private entities involved in various areas of infrastructure construction and it's really designed to increase the participation of women, minorities, and disadvantaged individuals in all levels of construction development," said DelDOT’s C.R. McLeod.
DelDOT officials say TRAIN will start in October, and it will run for about a year.
"We're really looking to again reach out to a broader community, provide training and provide better information about how these individuals can get more involved and find more opportunities to work with us as we undertake a very ambitious infrastructure investment plan over the next several years," said McLeod.
DelDOT is making more than $4 billion of investments planned over the next seven years in transportation infrastructure, and nearly half of that is subsidized federally.
Federal mandates for investments include providing training aimed at moving women, minorities and disadvantaged individuals into journey level positions ensuring a competent workforce is available to meet highway construction hiring needs.