Raleigh, N.C. – More than $207,000 in the latest round of NCWorks grants will improve the skills of North Carolina’s workers.
The NCWorks Incumbent Worker Training Grant program helps business strengthen its workforce by reimbursing participating employers for training costs. The grants are awarded twice a year. In the first quarter of this year, 30 businesses were awarded $207,598 to train 438 workers.
“When businesses have the talented workers they need, they can expand their product offerings, add more clients, and improve their bottom lines,” said Will Collins, executive director of NCWorks. “These grants are an important tool for strengthening our workforce and making North Carolina a top destination for industry.”
Those employers include Hi-Wire Brewing. In June 2014, the Asheville-based brewery applied for and received a grant of more than $11,000 to train and certify three workers in brewing technology, packaging and process technology, quality control, programmable logic controllers, and stainless welding.
“The NCWorks program has allowed us to attract and retain talent, and our employees have demonstrated that our commitment to them is a two-way street and that they are top-notch at what they do for us,” said Adam Charnack, co-founder of Hi-Wire Brewing.
The grant program is one of several NCWorks services available to businesses, including talent recruitment, on-the-job training, tax credits, and apprenticeship programs. Interested employers should contact their nearest NCWorks Career Centers for details.
To apply for a grant or learn more about the Incumbent Worker Training Grant program, businesses may contact their local Workforce Development Boards, which are partners of the NCWorks initiative.
NCWorks
The NCWorks initiative includes Commerce’s Workforce Solutions, the North Carolina Commission on Workforce Development, the NC Department of Public Instruction and the North Carolina Community College System. The goal is to create a stronger alignment of services and resources to meet the workforce needs of businesses, connect North Carolinians to technical training and quality careers, and use data to monitor and assess program outcomes. For more information about NCWorks, visit www.nccommerce.com/ncworks.
About Author
