Business News

JPMorgan Chase invests in future of La. workforce with $1M donation

by Patrick Flanagan

JPMorgan Chase is giving $1 million to Louisiana's community and technical colleges, to help with workforce training efforts to match students to available jobs.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - JPMorgan Chase is giving $1 million to Louisiana's community and technical colleges, to help with workforce training efforts to match students to available jobs.

The donation, announced Tuesday, will be used to pay for training in high-demand skills training programs such as welding, pipefitting, electrical work and petroleum technology. It will serve as match funding to help the Louisiana Community and Technical College System draw down dollars from its share of a $40 million higher education incentive fund.

Schools have to work with private businesses to get a funding match of at least 20 percent to access money from the Workforce and Innovation for a Stronger Economy, or WISE, Fund.

Gov. Bobby Jindal and lawmakers created the WISE Fund to help fill high-need jobs, tied to projected workforce demand.