TMCnet News
U.S. Labor H-1B Grant Considered Stunning Success by Florida MEP ORLANDO, Fla. --(Business Wire)-- Aug. 12, 2004 -- During the past two years, more than 2,900 workers in Florida's manufacturing industry have been trained to be more competitive in their fields, allowing them to maintain their jobs during a period of increased layoffs and substantial unemployment.Maria Alfano, director of operations for the Florida Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), said a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor and a joint program through MEP and Workforce Central Florida, helped these workers secure a brighter future by providing the means to retrain them and keep them from losing their jobs. "We're talking about manufacturers along Florida's 'High-Tech Corridor' where, because of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, an immediate downturn in the economy was noted," said Alfano. "Instead of growing as we had expected, the workforce experienced significant reductions and high unemployment." The program targeted manufacturers in Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Sumter, Flagler, Brevard, Volusia, Manatee, Pinellas, Sarasota and Polk counties. While the original purpose of the U.S. Department of Labor grant was to allow employers to train existing workers in the skills for which they had to hire foreigners, things changed dramatically after 9/11. "Instead of addressing the demands of a growing workforce as we originally intended, we determined the best utilization of the grant would be to help incumbent trainees acquire the skills needed by their employers to help those manufacturers stay competitive and remain in business," said Alfano. "We had to adapt and react quickly," said Alice Cobb, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Workforce Central Florida, which applied for and received the U.S. Department of Labor H-1B grant in December of 2001, right after 9/11. Cobb said the combined efforts of the H-1B Team headed by Ken Goodwin, a program manager with Workforce Central Florida, and Joseph Gigliotti, program manager for Florida MEP, has been nothing short of remarkable. "They took what could have been a significant setback and produced solid and important results for thousands of Florida workers and dozens of manufacturers throughout the 12-county area," said Cobb. Both Cobb and Alfano believe the numbers really tell the story. They include: -- 2,909 people entered training -- Of the 124 trained, unemployed graduates, 55 gained employment -- Due to training, 1,836 salaries were increased -- 2,724 trained employees are still with their companies. Cobb said when the direction of the grant changed, training for women and minorities remained a high priority. In fact, 57% of the trainees were women and minorities. "These are incredible results any way you look at it," said Gigliotti. "The manufacturers, the employees and everyone involved in the training process can be proud of this success." Most important, he added, the original grant targeted training for 720 workers at a cost per trainee of $2,500. After changing directions and implementing a new plan, more than 2,900 workers received training at an average cost of only about $650 each. "We also received more than $4.5 million in in-kind matches from the manufacturers we worked with," said Gigliotti. "To their credit, manufacturers were behind us every step of the way." A recent survey of companies served shows the return-on-investment for the H-1B training has been significant. "Sales increases for some manufacturers have been in the millions already," said Gigliotti. "Most importantly, several company officials are telling us they have retained sales they would have otherwise lost without employees trained to handle those orders." In addition to Workforce Central Florida and the Florida MEP, others partners included the Brevard Workforce Development Board, the Workforce Development Board of Flagler & Volusia Counties Inc., WorkNet Pinellas, and Suncoast Workforce Board Inc. "All participating partners were pleased to announce the success of this program and look forward to reaping ongoing benefits from the training in central Florida for years to come," said Alfano. The Florida MEP is an affiliate of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) under the U.S. Department of Commerce. The national MEP is a network of manufacturing extension centers that provide business and technical assistance to smaller manufacturers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Through MEP, manufacturers have access to more than 2000 manufacturing and business "coaches" whose job is to help firms make changes that lead to greater productivity, increased profits, and enhanced global competitiveness. For more information on the Florida MEP program call 321-939-4000. |
