MILWAUKEE, April 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN) today announced a grant from The Ford Foundation to accelerate the nationwide deployment of its latest workforce development initiative, TechReach.

TechReach is a fast track program that provides underemployed people with intensive customized training, technical certifications, continuous skill upgrades, mentoring and well-paying entry-level technical positions with employers in their communities.

"Manpower has a long history of developing innovative programs to 'create' the skilled workforce needed to meet the evolving needs of business," said Jeffrey A. Joerres, president and CEO of Manpower Inc. "As technology and other factors create gaps between the available labor pool and the talent needed to fulfill job requirements, Manpower has found innovative ways to bridge that gap. TechReach is our latest endeavor in workforce development, and we are pleased that The Ford Foundation has chosen to support the program."

According to Mara Manus, program officer of economic development, The Ford Foundation invested in the TechReach program because of the value it will provide for the individuals who will qualify for well-paying jobs with a bright future, as well as for the communities and businesses that have suffered from a severe talent shortage in these skilled technical positions.

"We invested in this program because we viewed it as an opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of many, and fortify communities nationwide," said Manus. "Manpower's experience working to improve employability and job opportunities among minority and underemployed groups is well known, and now we have an opportunity to build on those efforts by partnering with them in the TechReach program," said Manus.

"Identifying the changing job requirements in the evolving world of work, and creating ways to help the underemployed people in our communities to fill those needs is a responsibility we accept with pride," said Joerres. "This is a win-win situation for everyone involved."

"We are continually looking for ways to improve the quality of the available workforce and, at the same time, give individuals the chance to be employed in well-paying jobs. TechReach accomplishes those objectives, and our partnership with The Ford Foundation will help us to make a difference on a larger scale across the United States," Joerres said.

"Our early results indicate that TechReach can provide individuals with the technical skills to qualify for meaningful entry-level computer support positions," he added.

TechReach was spearheaded by Manpower, which has invested more than three years of research and development in the program, and has evolved into a collaboration among business, nonprofit, community-based, educational and government sectors. The program is currently being piloted in several cities throughout the United States.

Manpower Inc. is a world leader in the staffing industry, providing workforce management services and solutions to customers through 3,700 offices in 59 countries. The firm annually provides employment to more than 2.7 million people worldwide and is an industry leader in employee assessment and training. Manpower also offers organizational performance consulting services worldwide through its independent operating division, The Empower Group. More information on Manpower Inc. can be found at the company's website, http://www.manpower.com . More information can also be found about The Empower Group at its website, http://www.empowergrp.com

SOURCE Manpower Inc.

CONTACT: Clare Reardon, APR, Public Relations Dept. of Manpower Inc., 414-906-6253, clare.reardon@na.manpower.com