Connecticut is launching an initiative to ensure the manufacturing industry has a skilled workforce to draw from in the state.
The Manufacturing Innovation Fund Apprenticeship Program will provide wage subsidies and tuition reimbursements to eligible companies in order to increase the number of apprentices in the state.
The state Department of Economic and Community Development will fund the program as part of the Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Fund, a $30 million program created to strengthen the competitiveness of Connecticut”™s manufacturing base.
In May, the Manufacturing Alliance of Connecticut released a survey of more than 200 state companies that reported hiring talented employees is one of their biggest challenges.
“This program will help residents find new jobs, provide employers with a new pool of workers and align education and training with the needs of manufacturers,” Gov. Dannel Malloy said in a statement. “The training is all part of a comprehensive strategy to grow jobs.”
Catherine Smith, DECD commissioner, said large corporations are contracting more work to small and midsize manufacturing companies that have become responsible for training workers to fill high-skilled positions. The new state program will help deliver a pipeline of talent to supply-chain companies, she said.
Malloy said there are more than 200 apprentices in manufacturing working for 90 employers in the state but that there is room to grow.
Registered apprenticeships combine a structured work schedule with related classroom instruction. Apprenticeships in manufacturing usually last up to four years and require 2,000 hours of on-the-job learning and 144 hours of classroom training per year.
The Manufacturing Innovation Fund Apprenticeship Program is initially a two-year, $7,800,000 program. To be eligible, Connecticut-based manufacturers must have been registered to conduct business for at least one year. Businesses involved in aerospace, medical devices, composite materials, digital manufacturing and other technologically advanced commercial products and services are eligible to participate.
Grants awarded through the program can range up to $13,000 for two years of wage subsidies, up to $3,750 in tuition reimbursement and up to $2,000 to offset the costs of gaining appropriate credentials for apprentices.
The state Department of Labor will manage the apprenticeship program, performing eligibility evaluations of applicants, overseeing the funds and monitoring projects and results.
