Local Companies to Receive Fast Forward Grants from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

Wednesday, March 20th, 2024 -- 2:00 PM

The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) announced almost $4 million in Wisconsin Fast Forward worker training grants.

The awards will assist 22 employers in training more than 2,133 workers to meet the needs of the workplace of the future. These grants provide $3,974,200 training funds for the in-demand sectors of construction, healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation.

Many of the projects include partnerships with community organizations, local employers, and industry associations. The Wisconsin Fast Forward standard grant program awards funds to Wisconsin businesses to reimburse costs associated with occupational training.

The grants cover training costs for those who are unemployed or underemployed, as well as for incumbent workers. Participants who successfully complete the training program will gain opportunities for employment, higher-level employment, or increased wages.

DWD's Office of Skills Development awarded and administered more than $5.1 million in Wisconsin Fast Forward grants for up to an estimated 2,139 trainees in the 2023 fiscal year.

The state launched the Wisconsin Fast Forward program in 2013 to help the businesses train and retain highly skilled workers and address the skills gap. Since then, the grants have provided more than $49 million in funding to 430 employers and trained 34,000 workers.

Grants are open to all industry sectors and range from $5,000 to $400,000 with projects requiring a 50 percent cash or in-kind employer match. Training must provide transferrable skills to incumbent workers, underemployed workers, and unemployed people.

Employers must meet these minimum requirements to receive funding: 85% of the participants must complete training. 65% must gain employment (the unemployed, hired; the underemployed, promoted). 75% of incumbent trainees receive pay raises.

Some local recipients of the grants include $139,015 to WB Manufacturing LLC in Clark County. WB Manufacturing LLC will partner with Manage Assist to train 306 current workers on implementing a continuous improvement program, leading plant safety, and dealing with change. Trainees could receive an hourly wage increase of $1.25 or more.

$350,710 to Mayo Clinic Health System Northwest Wisconsin in Eau Claire County. Partnering with Chippewa Valley Technical College, Mayo Clinic Health System in Northwest Wisconsin will train 116 workers for careers as clinic assistants and nursing assistants. Incumbent trainees could receive an hourly wage increase of $2.32 or more.

$38,527 to Goetsch's Welding & Machine Inc. in Marathon County. Goetsch’s Welding & Machine Inc. will partner with Manage Assist to train 22 incumbent workers on managing change, practical lean workshops, and quick changeover practices. Trainees will receive an hourly wage increase of 64 cents or more.

$400,000 to Lippert in Eau Claire County. In partnership with Chippewa Valley Technical College, Lippert will train 280 people on advanced manufacturing, print reading, MIG pulse welding, and quality assurance. Incumbent workers could receive an hourly wage increase of $1 or more.

$190,171 to Wisconsin Automotive & Truck Education Association in Marathon County. Wisconsin Automotive & Truck Education Association will partner with Carquest Technical Institute to train 100 workers. Topics will include advanced driver assist systems, conquering network diagnostics, gasoline direct injection, domestic vehicle programming, HEV/BEV motor operation testing, modern engine condition testing, and variable displacement cylinder management. Incumbent workers could receive an hourly wage increase of $1.74 or more.

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