BUTLER TWP — Butler County Community College will share in a $20 million grant for work force development to help unemployed and underemployed workers retrain for jobs in manufacturing, energy, health care and other growing industries.

The grant will benefit the 14 Pennsylvania community colleges led by the Community College of Philadelphia. In Western Pennsylvania, Allegheny, Beaver and Westmoreland counties’ community colleges also will share the funds.

“This is yet another example of how community colleges are adaptive and ready to meet the work force needs of the community,” said Nick Neupauer, BC3 president.

Details of how the money will be used are not final, but the grant will fund curriculum development based on regional work force needs identified by employers. These include jobs in advanced manufacturing, energy distribution, production and conservation, health care and information technology.

In addition, partnerships with employers, career coaching and job readiness skills also will be funded.

“With this grant, we will be able to prepare future workers so they can compete and thrive in a competitive job market,” said Francie Spigelmyer, BC3 vice president for academic affairs.

The award was announced Monday by U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter and Vice President Joe Biden’s wife, Jill, who teaches at a community college.

It is part of $500 million given to community colleges nationwide, the first of $2 billion earmarked for retraining funds over the next four years.