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DWD Announces Almost $4 Million in Wisconsin Fast Forward Worker Training Grants

Grants support 22 employers and new or increased wages for 2,133 trainees

MADISON – The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) today 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.

"DWD's Wisconsin Fast Forward grant program supports employers as they seek to attract, train, and retain a highly skilled workforce," said DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek. "This strategic investment by Governor Evers is sustaining Wisconsin's robust economy and strengthening our state's workforce now and into the future."

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.

The $3,974,200 in Wisconsin Fast Forward grant awards include:

Construction: $85,755 to Oakwood Lutheran Senior Ministries in Dane County. Oakwood Lutheran Senior Ministries will partner with Madison College to train 16 employees to learn building maintenance, including electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and facilities repair. Trainees could receive an hourly wage increase of $2 or more.

Construction: $49,965 to Diamond Discs International LLC in Milwaukee County. In partnership with Baigent, Diamond Discs will train four unemployed trainees and four current employees on cybersecurity, construction industry overview, sales playbook, team building, and web development. Incumbent trainees could receive an hourly wage increase of $2 or more.

Customer Service: $291,298 to Madison Metropolitan School District in Dane County. The Madison Metropolitan School District will train 25 current workers in partnership with the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District, Lake Mills Area School District, and UW-Madison School of Education. Trainees will earn a master's degree in education leadership to become assistant principals and principals. These trainees could receive an hourly wage increase of $7 or more.

Healthcare: $52,800 to Access Community Health Centers Inc. in Dane County. Access Community Health Centers and Madison College will train eight employees to become medical assistants. They could receive an hourly wage increase of $3.50 or more.

Healthcare: $57,005 to City of Portage Fire Department in Columbia County. The City of Portage Fire Department and Madison College-Portage Campus will train 10 underemployed trainees and two incumbent workers to become emergency medical technicians to help with high acuity calls and augment emergency medical services. Incumbent trainees could receive an hourly wage increase of $1.16 or more.

Healthcare: $31,094 to Newcap Inc. in Brown County. Newcap Inc. will provide Community Health Worker Competency Training to 33 of its workers that will enable them to start a career in community health. Trainees could receive an hourly wage increase of $1.15 or more.

Healthcare: $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.

Healthcare: $278,354 to SSM Health Care of Wisconsin in Dane County. SSM Health Care of Wisconsin will partner with Madison College to train 16 current workers to gain skills needed to become a licensed practical nurse. Trainees could receive an hourly wage increase of $2.78 or more.

Healthcare: $93,478 to Meriter Foundation Inc. in Dane County. Meriter Foundation and Madison College will train eight unemployed people on skills to become a surgical technician. Training will lead to an associate degree.

Manufacturing: $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.

Manufacturing: $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.

Manufacturing: $45,555 to Torrance Casting in La Crosse County. Partnering with Manage Assist, Torrance Casting will train 80 employees on identifying and eliminating waste, implementing a continuous improvement program, and risk management and mitigation. Training may result in an hourly wage increase of $1.69 or more.

Manufacturing: $203,788 to Palermo Villa, Inc. in Milwaukee County. Palermo Villa, Inc. will partner with Madison College to train 263 of its workers in courses developed for team lead leadership training and basic English language training. Trainees could receive an hourly wage increase of 65 cents or more.

Manufacturing: $61,024 to Broaster Company in Rock County. Broaster Company will partner with Manage Assist to train 44 incumbent workers on cycle counting, fundamentals of blueprint reading, leading plant safety, inventory management, and practical lean workshops for an hourly wage increase of 34 cents or more.

Manufacturing: $399,080 to Quad in Waukesha County. Quad will train 30 unemployed people and 228 incumbent workers on forklift training, folder gluer training, gravure roll tender fundamentals and more. Incumbent workers could receive an hourly wage increase of $2.00 or more.

Manufacturing: $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.

Manufacturing: $100,437 to Southwest Wisconsin Technical College in Grant County. Southwest Wisconsin Technical College will train 251 unemployed people in electromechanical technology, industrial maintenance, introduction to machining, safety, and supervisory management.

Manufacturing: $271,016 to TriEnda LLC in Columbia County. TriEnda will partner with Madison College to train two unemployed people and 38 employees as extrusion operators. Instruction will be both on-the-job and in the classroom in English and Spanish. Incumbent workers could receive an hourly wage increase of $4.12 or more.

Manufacturing: $347,736 to Penda in Columbia County. Penda will partner with Madison College to provide classroom and on-the-job training to 16 unemployed people and 32 current workers as extrusion operators. Curriculum and training will be in English and Spanish. Incumbent workers could receive an hourly wage increase of $4.12 or more.

Transportation: $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.

Transportation: $372,544 to JX Enterprises in Waukesha County. JX Enterprises will train 175 workers utilizing courses that include How to Successfully Navigate the Business System, Maximizing Customer Uptime, Become a Parts Expert and more. Incumbent workers could receive an hourly wage increase of $2.00 or more.

Transportation: $114,848 to Bob Frise Enterprises LLC in La Crosse County. Bob Frise Enterprises LLC will train 24 unemployed and incumbent workers on electricity theory, heavy duty brake systems, HVAC, inspection and maintenance, diesel air and fuel management, and intro to the heavy truck industry training. Incumbent workers could receive an hourly wage increase of $1.00 or more.

Find additional information or download an application on the Wisconsin Fast Forward Program website.

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Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development efficiently delivers effective and inclusive services to meet Wisconsin's diverse workforce needs now and for the future. The department advocates for and invests in the protection and economic advancement of all Wisconsin workers, employers, and job seekers through six divisions – Employment and Training, Vocational Rehabilitation, Unemployment Insurance, Equal Rights, Worker's Compensation, and Administrative Services. To keep up with DWD announcements and information, sign up for news releases and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.