WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden announced almost a half-billion dollars of grants Monday to community colleges working with employers on job training.

Linking training to industry demand is key to the Obama administration’s strategy for improving wages and reducing unemployment.

Massasoit Community College in Massachusetts and Wisconsin’s Chippewa Valley Technical College received the largest grants of about $20 million each.

A Maryland program will receive $15 million to partner with companies like Raytheon and IBM to train workers with little education for jobs in cybersecurity or information technology. Schools in Kentucky will get $10 million to expand online learning for degrees in computer and medical fields.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is awarding nearly a half-billion dollars to community colleges that are partnering with employers on job training.

Massasoit Community College in Massachusetts and Wisconsin’s Chippewa Valley Technical College are the largest recipients and will each get about $20 million.

A Maryland program will receive $15 million to partner with companies like Raytheon and IBM to train workers with little education for jobs in cybersecurity or information technology. Community and technical colleges in Kentucky will get $10 million to expand online learning for degrees in computer and medical fields.

Vice President Joe Biden and the secretaries of Education and Labor will announce the grant winners Monday at the White House. Linking job training to industry demand is key to the administration’s strategy to improve wages and reduce unemployment.