Press Release: 2019-07-18

$3.5M in Workforce Grants Awarded to Fund Training for More Than 2,400 Workers, Create 481 New Jobs

WORCESTER — WORCESTER, MA — Forty-five Massachusetts employers will train 2,407 workers and expect to add 481 new jobs by 2021, thanks to $3.5 million in Workforce Training Fund Program (WTFP) grants announced today by the Baker-Polito Administration.

The 36 awarded grants enhance local businesses’ productivity and ability to grow by funding customized training that promotes job growth, retention, and increased opportunity for workers.

Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito announced the awarding of $3,558,307 in WTFP General Program Training Grants in Chicopee at Dielectrics, a UFP Technologies Company.

A full-service medical device manufacturer, Dielectrics will use a $174,600 WTFP grant to fund Operational Excellence training in the areas of Production, Engineering, Research and Development, Quality, Maintenance, as well as other functions.  Training will include developing future leaders of Dielectrics and is expected to boost overall efficiency and productivity for years to come. Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MassMEP) will provide the training for 187 workers. Dielectrics expects to add 20 jobs by the end of the grant.

“Providing these grants to Massachusetts employers helps them invest in the growth of their business and the workers that they employ. The result is a better trained workforce, more competitive businesses, and a resilient, sustainable Bay State economy,” said Governor Charlie Baker.

“Being able to connect Massachusetts workers with training to develop technical skills for in-demand jobs is a critical component of Massachusetts’ development, and a key strategy in fortifying the economic strengths of every region of the Commonwealth,” said Lieutenant Governor Polito.

The Workforce Training Fund is a program of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and is administered by Commonwealth Corporation, a quasi-public state agency that fosters partnerships between industry, education, and workforce organizations.

“The heartbeat of our economy are the local entrepreneurs who invest in their employees and, in turn, invest in our communities,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Rosalin Acosta. “We can help them create strong foundation to build upon and grow by providing these grants that empower them to continue making those investments.”

“Massachusetts has a deficit of middle-skill workers compared to available jobs — a deficit directly addressed by the training funded through these grants, providing strong career paths for middle-skill workers across the state,” said Commonwealth Corporation President and CEO Dr. J.D. LaRock.

Since the beginning of the Baker-Polito Administration, the Workforce Training Fund has awarded 709 grants totaling more than $70 million to train 53,000 workers from over 880 different Massachusetts businesses. This is expected to result in over 6,800 new jobs.

The Workforce Training Fund provides grants ranging from $10,000 to $250,000 to companies in Massachusetts to pay for employee training over a two-year period. Grant recipients contribute a matching investment of at least one dollar for each grant-dollar awarded, with wages paid to trainees during training hours included in that investment.

In addition to the General Program grants, the WTFP also offers an Express Grant program that subsidizes up to 50 percent of the cost for pre-qualified courses chosen from a database, and a Small Business Direct Access Program that subsidizes 100 percent of the cost for pre-qualified courses in highest demand.

The following is a complete list of the grant recipients awarded Workforce Training Fund Grants today (listed by community):

Amherst
Verité was awarded $30,312 to train 34 workers; 6 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Billerica
Boyle Transportation was awarded $23,100 to train 6 workers; 31 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Boston
Cerulli Associates was awarded $98,000 to train 52 workers; 4 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

ICON Architecture was awarded $28,000 to train 43 workers; 3 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Mass Bankers Association was awarded $249,800 to train 222 workers; 5 additional jobs are expected by 2021.  This grant was awarded to a consortium of businesses which also includes Eagle Bank of Everett, Main Street Bank of Worcester, Pentucket Bank of Haverhill, The Cooperative Bank (TCB) of Boston, and The Village Bank of Auburndale.

Winston Flowers was awarded $175,785 to train 141 workers; 15 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Boxborough
Integrated Defense and Securtity Solutions was awarded $104,320 to train 39 workers; 15 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Chelmsford
Precision Machinists Company was awarded $81,700 to train 28 workers; 8 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Chicopee
Dielectrics, a UFP Technologies Company was awarded $174,600 to train 187 workers; 20 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Clinton
Clinton Savings Bank was awarded $72,800 to train 50 workers; 6 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Danvers
ABIOMED was awarded $144,192 to train 140 workers; 100 additional jobs are expected by 2021.

Dudley
Henke Sass Wolf of America was awarded $181,413 to train 48 workers; 17 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Easthampton
Rock Valley Tool was awarded $87,500 to train 35 workers; 2 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Edgartown
Martha's Vineyard Savings Bank was awarded $62,300 to train 115 workers; 2 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Foxboro
Dorel Juvenile Group was awarded $156,800 to train 101 workers; 4 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Franklin
AR Metallizing was awarded $116,900 to train 66 workers; 13 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Gloucester
Applied Materials was awarded $50,400 to train 96 workers; 24 additional jobs are expected by 2021.  

Holyoke
Gary Rome Hyundai was awarded $42,340 to train 54 workers; 10 additional jobs are expected by 2021.  

Hudson
Mach Machine was awarded $44,195 to train 12 workers; 1 additional job is expected by 2021. 

Mansfield
HR Knowledge was awarded $68,736 to train 60 workers; 5 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Marlborough
CardioFocus was awarded $97,000 to train 36 workers; 12 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

New Bedford
Ahead was awarded $114,800 to train 121 workers; 11 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Newburyport
East Coast Welding & Fabrication was awarded $58,950 to train 25 workers; 5 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Newton
Johnson String Instrument was awarded $206,020 to train 75 workers; 10 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Norwood
Home Market Foods was awarded $188,785 to train 132 workers; 20 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Peabody
Paradigm Precision was awarded $35,000 to train 96 workers; 26 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Reading
Fraen Corporation was awarded $32,925 to train 10 workers; 12 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Rockland
UPPAbaby was awarded $143,820 to train 63 workers; 10 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Shrewsbury
OptiMA was awarded $60,000 to train 28 workers; 2 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Somerville
Naveo Credit Union was awarded $31,200 to train 31 workers; 1 additional job is expected by 2021. 

Tyngsborough
Polymershapes was awarded $211,814 to train 26 workers; 16 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Waltham
Infinidat was awarded $58,500 to train 67 workers; 3 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Warrren
CIRCOR Naval Solutions was awarded $62,500 to train 49 workers; 18 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Woburn
Lytron was awarded $129,600 to train 49 workers; 20 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Mide Technology Corp was awarded $89,400 to train 44 workers; 10 additional jobs are expected by 2021. 

Worcester
MassMEP was awarded $44,800 to train 26 workers; 14 additional jobs are expected by 2021. This grant was awarded to a consortium of businesses which also includes Boston Baking of Boston, McCrea's Candies of Boston, North Easton Machine Co. of Easton, Norwell Mfg Co. of East Taunton, True Bounce of New Bedford, and Wrentham Tool Products of Bellingham.

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