TMCnet News
First Job Training Pilot Program Grants Awarded(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) ST. PAUL, Minn., Oct. 21 -- Gov. Mark Dayton, D-Minn., issued the following news release: Three manufacturers in Greater Minnesota received worker-training grants totaling $144,000 from the Job Training Incentive Pilot Program. The funding will help train 17 new welders at C4 Welding Inc. in Sauk Rapids, 50 new welders at Edmonton Trailer Manufacturing in Sartell and 20 new workers at Talon Innovations in Sauk Rapids. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) launched the Job Training Incentive Pilot Program this fall to help small businesses train new workers quickly and efficiently. The program, an outgrowth of DEED's existing Minnesota Job Skills Partnership, is aimed at new or expanding businesses in Greater Minnesota that have fewer than 150 full-time employees and are planning to expand their workforces by at least 10 percent, with a minimum of five new jobs. "Minnesota's greatest strength has always been our highly skilled and productive workforce," said Governor Mark Dayton. "To maintain our competitive edge, we need to provide workers with the training they need for these technically advanced jobs. I thank the three companies for their commitments to employ more good Minnesotans." "As Minnesota's baby boomers retire and our workforce demographics continue to shift, it is crucial that we make sure we have workers with the right skills for available positions," added DEED Commissioner Katie Clark Sieben. "This program encourages small businesses to expand and hire new workers by helping to offset some of the training costs." Businesses in the manufacturing, skilled production and information technology industries will receive funding priority under the program. Workers can be trained in basic skills, advanced technical skills, specific industry equipment, processes, safety, worker-related language, soft skills and other areas identified by the employer. Participating companies must provide a cash match equal to 50 percent, 75 percent or 100 percent of the amount awarded by DEED, depending on the size of the business. The following is a summary of the first grant awards and companies: C4 Welding Inc., Sauk Rapids, $50,000 The company, previously known as WFSI Inc., is a fabricator and assembler of welded components for the oil and nuclear industries. The company recently relocated to a larger facility and intends to add 17 new welding positions. The grant will complement earlier funding that the business received from the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership to train 38 new employees. Edmonton Trailer Manufacturing, Sartell, $50,000 Edmonton Trailer, owned by Canada-based Edmonton Trailer Sales, is a Minnesota-based startup company that will focus on making specialty and heavy-haul trailers. The company plans to hire 30 employees by December 2015 and 50 by December 2016. The new employees will be trained in specialized welding skills. Talon Innovations, Sauk Rapids, $44,353 Talon Innovations manufactures proprietary products and provides precision machining services for the semiconductor, medical device, aerospace and other industries. The company intends to add 20 new jobs over the next year. The grant will supplement a Minnesota Job Skills Partnership grant that the company was awarded last November to train 41 new employees. TNS MkTanz141022-30FurigayJane-4908289 30FurigayJane (c) 2014 Targeted News Service |