Yesterday, the Office of Skills Development announced the second round of Grant Program Announcements for worker training grant funding opportunities made possible through the Wisconsin Fast Forward legislation signed into law by Governor Walker in 2013.
Up to $15 million was made available during the 2013-15 biennium to address employer needs for skilled workers with demand-driven workforce training. The program encourages and enables employers to develop customized, skilled and semi-skilled labor training solutions to develop a localized workforce when the skill shortage is supported by labor market information.
This second round of Wisconsin Fast Forward Grant Program Announcements (GPAs) makes up to $7.5 million available for competitive worker training grants in manufacturing, construction, health care, information technology, financial services and transportation, logistics, and distribution occupations. In addition, $500,000 will be made available to small businesses in any industry with 50 or fewer full-time employees to develop employer-specific training programs.
Applications for the grants will be due later this spring. 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. Additional announcements will be made in the future to address needs and opportunities presented through employer inquiries and economic research by DWD and the strategic partners.
Anyone can sign up through WisconsinFastForward.com for the program's newsletter. The newsletter will provide regular program updates, including announcements of grant awards as well as future funding opportunities.