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Purpose The Workforce Investment Board has made available Federal grant funds to small and medium sized businesses to hire, train and upgrade the skills of workers that do not meet the minimum qualifications for a specific job. The On-The-Job Training Grant will offset the cost of training new employees who lack required skills, or to upgrade the skills of current employees for higher-skilled, better paying jobs. The trainee must live or work in Monroe County. Training should result in improved economic “self sufficiency” for trainees, and therefore the expected outcomes are the potential for higher wages and job retention.
On-The-Job Training grants will provide up to $10,000 per year to businesses to train workers in specific skills that will lead to career growth and the potential for increased wages. The job for which the employee is being trained should be a full-time position paying a minimum wage of $9.00 per hour. Companies are reimbursed 50% of total wages paid to a trainee lacking the requisite skills, during a normal work period. A normal work period does not include periods of work stoppage such as holidays, sick days, vacation days or overtime. The maximum amount a business can receive per trainee is $3,000.
The length of training will depend on the job and the skills/experience of the trainee, but will not exceed three months. Training should lead to the acquisition of in-demand and transferable skills or industry-recognized certifications/credentials, and retention.
Payments are made on a reimbursement basis once training is completed and cost and trainee documentation is submitted. Applicants must comply with New York State Labor Law.
Eligibility
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Private sector for-profit or not-for-profit businesses in the 9 County Finger Lakes Region (Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming, Yates) with four or more employees may apply. Employees to be trained should work or live in Monroe County.
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Public employees are not eligible for training with these funds.
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Trade organizations and other third party entities are not eligible to apply for On-The-Job Training funds on behalf of other organizations.
- Organizations with poor performance outcomes on previous training initiatives will not be awarded funds.
Use of Funds
- Applicants are required to provide 50% matching funds (equal to the amount of funds requested).
- Trainees must earn between $9.00 and $25.00 an hour and have a documented skill gap to qualify for training with these funds.
- Employees identified for training should be permanent, full-time employees. Part-time employees may be trained if training will result in their becoming full-time employees immediately following training.
- Trainees must be employees of the applicant business, not independent contractors or contract employees.
- Funds may not be used for administrative costs, construction/renovation of buildings, purchase of equipment and software, government mandated training (e.g., OSHA training).
- Applications will not be entertained for training that has already started or been completed. Trainees must be assessed by a representative from a career center before starting their first day with the business.
- Fundable training activities must start and end within a three-month period.
The Workforce Investment Board is committed to providing training funds that will help businesses maintain their competitive edge and grow through improving the skills of the workforce. As a result of funding, businesses are expected to provide on the job training to employees, which will result in the acquisition of transferable skills or an industry-recognized certification or credential, thereby enhancing their long-term employability, career growth and earnings potential. It is expected that as a result of skills upgrading, employee retention will be improved.
Since the retention of employees is an important goal, it is expected that if any of the workers trained through this program are laid off within one year of the end date of the contract, the business will reimburse RochesterWorks, Inc. for the training costs associated with the laid off worker(s).
Selection Process
All applications will be subject to an evaluation by RochesterWorks, Inc. on behalf of the Workforce Investment Board. Successful applications will solve workforce problems by: addressing identified skilled worker shortages within an industry, promoting skills upgrading for employed workers directly leading to potential career growth and the potential for increased wages for the trainees.
Application Process
Application - PDF
Application - Word
Training Outline - PDF
Applications for the On-The-Job Training grant will be accepted on a continuous basis. Selection will depend on available funding and the quality of the proposals. Training can not take place until the organization has been notified of and approved for an award. Organizations should complete an On-The-Job Training grant application, training outline, a job description and an application or resume for the trainee you have identified.
Responses to the application questions should be submitted in the form of a Word document. Applications must be submitted electronically or mailed to:
Christina Bakewicz Business Services Manager RochesterWorks, Inc. 255 North Goodman Street Rochester , NY 14607 (585) 232-5232 (Phone) (585) 232-6033 (Fax) cbakewicz@rochesterworks.org
Rev. 1/4/2010 |
