A $2.5 million federal grant awarded to Michigan will be used to address health care staffing shortages in the state’s rural communities.

Michigan’s Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity said the grant will support the addition of more than 430 new health care workers over the next four years.

The agency will lead MiREACH, a network of employer-led collaboratives, to identify targeted health care occupations based on employer demand and feedback.

The grant program aims to help individuals gain the skills necessary to provide needed services, fill vacancies and allow employers to find skilled workers more readily.

The coronavirus pandemic has increased the need for health care workers, particularly in rural areas, according to the state.

(AP) Copyright 2021 The Associated Press