On Wednesday, Governor Walker announced the first round of worker training grant funding opportunities made possible through the Wisconsin Fast Forward legislation he signed into law earlier this year.
Wisconsin Fast Forward makes up to $15 million available during the 2013-15 biennium to address the need for skilled workers with demand-driven workforce training. The program encourages employers to develop customized, skilled and semi-skilled labor solutions supported by labor market information.
This initial round of Wisconsin Fast Forward Grant Program Announcements (GPAs) makes up to $2.7 million available for competitive worker training grants for the manufacturing, construction, and customer service sectors.
Applications for the first round of grants are due later this year. Employers can access the online application, along with instructions and additional details about each GPA, at WisconsinFastForward.com. DWD's Office of Skills Development (OSD) is administering the grant program and will be the point of contact for inquiries.
Moving forward, sector-focused grant program announcements will be released quarterly. Announcements will focus on a variety of industries and reflect input from inquiries made by employers as well as a technical advisory committee for the program.
Anyone can sign up through WisconsinFastForward.com for the program's newsletter. The newsletter will provide regular updates, including announcements of grant awards as well as future opportunities.