Hawaii’s senators say $4.3 million is being appropriated to the University of Hawaii for job training and educational opportunities on the Big Island, Kauai, Lanai, Maui and Molokai.

U.S. Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka said the funding was obtained through an earmark in last fiscal year’s federal budget recently released by the U.S. Department of Labor.

The University of Hawaii-Maui College oversees the program, which started 14 years ago.

It offers training in disciplines including health care, culinary arts, food service, veterinary care, automotive repair and procurement.

Inouye said the funding will help rural areas of the state that were hit hardest by the global recession.

He said they’ll gain skills and training needed to enter the workforce.