FALL 2021
Program reimburses companies
for employee training
When workers lack needed training
and businesses experience
skill gaps, the company’s ability
to compete, expand and retain
workers can be compromised.
Florida’s Incumbent Worker
Training IWT Program,
funded by the federal Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity
Act and administered by
CareerSource Florida addresses
such needs.
The IWT Program was created
to provide funding for continuing
education and training of
employees at Florida businesses.
The program will provide
reimbursement grants to businesses
that pay for pre-approved,
direct training related
costs. Currently, companies
may receive a reimbursement
rate up to 50% or 75%.
The program helps established
Florida businesses upgrade the
skills of their employees, which
provides enormous benefits to
include:
For employers: Increased
competitiveness, skilled workforce,
increased productivity,
increased profits, company
growth and reduced turnover.
For employees: Advancement
opportunities, increased job
opportunities, industry recognized
credentials, job retention
and transportable, transferrable
skills.
For the purposes of the IWT
program, an incumbent worker
is defined as follows:
At least one employee of the
applicant business, working at
least 37.5 hours per week and
receiving a W-2 from the employer,
at least 18 years of age,
a citizen of the United States or
a non-citizen whose status permits
employment in the United
States, a Florida resident
working at a physical location
in Florida and employed six
months before the signature
date of the application.
The amount of grant funding
available from July to June
2022 is $2.5 million, and the
maximum grant is $100,000
per company. Funding is available
only to for-profit companies
and hospitals in operation
for a minimum of one year
prior to application.
Funding priorities include
targeted industries, training for
many of the skills sought by
local manufacturers, and small
businesses with 25 or fewer
employees.
Currently, companies
may receive a
reimbursement rate
In 2019, Islamorada Beer Company
and Silver-Line Plastics
worked with the Economic Development
Council of St. Lucie
County to obtain IWT grants.
For more information, visit www.
careersourceflorida.com/training
grant/#Grants. Manufacturers
may contact their county’s
economic development organization
for assistance.
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
Manufacturing is a powerful
economic driver on the Treasure
Coast, providing 10,952 jobs
with average earnings per job of
$60,850 and adding $1.2 billion
to the gross regional product
in 2020, according to data from
economicmodeling.com.
While the manufacturing sector’s
contribution to the GDP grew
17% between 2015-2020, the
region is facing continuing challenges
in finding and keeping both skilled and unskilled labor.
COVID-related disruptions intensified labor issues but the underlying
10 www.TCMAmfg.com
problem has been a widening gap between the needs
of manufacturers and the existing skills of the workforce.
Since its inception, the TCMA has been working with regional
economic development organizations, CareerSource Research
Coast and local educators to address this skills gap and identify
all the moving parts that go into building a talent pipeline.
Our approach includes reviewing the talent needs of local
employers, identifying needed skills, grappling with the
capacity of the local education system to teach these skills
and understanding what role employers must take to support
and extend this training.
In this issue of the newsletter, you’ll read about the region’s
most recent boot camps for young people, which are just
one of the tools used to ensure the youth coming out of local
schools are aware of the many interesting and well-compensated
career opportunities local manufacturers have to offer.
Other initiatives include tours for high school counselors, close
communications with local school systems and the college’s
career and technical program staff and more.
As many struggle with COVID-related supply chain disruptions
as well as labor availability issues and growing demand for
American-made products, the manufacturing industry is
being pushed to adapt as perhaps never before, or at least not
since World War II. And, that’s part of the value of having and
supporting an organization like the TCMA; working together
we can make things happen. So, if you aren’t a member now,
please consider joining. If you are a member, we look forward
to seeing you at our meetings and events — whether inperson
or virtual.
Jerry Jacques, general manager
at Advanced Machine & Tool, is
president of the Treasure Coast
Manufacturers Association.
In Memoriam
TCMA board member Stephen
Farinacci died June 30 at the
age of 57. In addition to the
immense loss experienced by
his loving family and friends,
Steve’s many contributions to
the TCMA, Maverick Boat Group
and Treasure Coast soccer will
be truly missed.
Stephen Farinacci
Islamorada Beer Co. employee Lauren
Shrum was awarded a quality control
certificate after going through IWT
training in 2019.
IWT program Information from CareerSource Florida
UP TO
50% or 75%
/economicmodeling.com
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