"Based on a successful model implemented by the Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board, it is being offered through Connecticut’s five regional workforce development boards."

The program was singled out for its impact on employers, jobseekers, and the community at large.

U.S. Rep. Courtney worked with EWIB and its partners to secure a $6M grant from the U.S. Dept. of Labor (1 of only 6 nationally) to get the Eastern CT Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative (MPI) up and running. "Since then, the program has flourished alongside our state's burgeoning manufacturing sector, and in the last year Electric Boat reported that they had already made over 1,000 hires directly from the pipeline."

"The contract between the Navy and EB to build at least nine Virginia-class attack submarines over the next five years 'is an important milestone as our nation prepares for a generational increase in submarine production,' [EB President Kevin] Graney said."

"The benefit of the new program, compared to hiring someone and training them from scratch, is consistency across manufacturers."