JEFFERSON CITY - Several Southeast Missouri companies were among those selected by the Missouri Department of Economic Development and its Division of Workforce Development for assistance to help them offset costs associated with training and upgrading the skills of thousands of Missouri workers.
Overall Missouri has approved nearly $2.4 million in state assistance.
Funds through the Customized Training Program will be used to facilitate classroom training for more than 6,700 new or existing employees at 81 Missouri companies. The funds are the first round of training grants to be released in the state's current fiscal year that began July 1. Companies will use the funds to pay for training programs customized to their particular industry and local needs.
Funds for training were appropriated by the General Assembly to the Missouri Job Development Fund and are administered through the state's Customized Training Program. The Missouri Job Development Fund provides assistance to new or expanding businesses in their efforts to train employees in newly created jobs and to retrain or upgrade skills of existing employees. The purpose of the program is to increase and improve the quality of the state's workforce through training initiatives so that Missouri companies can be more competitive.
"The Customized Training Program is a pro-jobs approach to improving the education and skill levels of our work force in Missouri,'' Blunt said. "Missouri already has a strong, well-educated workforce and this investment in the future will help enhance productivity and allow us to be more competitive in the global economy.''
The program is offered through DED's Division of Workforce Development in cooperation with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Community colleges and area career and technical schools will administer the program locally.
Local companies receiving funding are:
Company City Total Total Amount Trainees
Ole Hickory Pits Cape Girardeau $6,900 15
Procter & Gamble Cape Girardeau $34,500 50
S & W Cabinets Chaffee $8,263 10
Nordenia USA Jackson $34,500 100
Parker Hannifin Corporation Kennett $1,725 10
Noranda Aluminum New Madrid $57,500 300
TG Missouri Perryville $34,500 60
Bootheel Rgnl Training Grp Poplar Bluff $57,500 250
Briggs & Stratton Corporation Poplar Bluff $25,545 100
Poplar Bluff Training Group Poplar Bluff $23,239 120
Titan Plastics Group Poplar Bluff $23,000 75
Pavestone Scott City $10,304 15
Cott Beverage USA Sikeston $17,250 56
Tetra Pak Materials Sikeston $17,250 33