Peabody gets share of $11.38M in state Workforce Training Fund grants

By Justin A. Rice, Town Correspondent

Holm Asset Management, Inc. and Safety, Inc. were awarded grants to train workers yesterday as part of $11.38 million in Workforce Training Fund grants doled out across the state.

The Peabody-based companies received  $20,600  and $22,068 respectively and were among the138 Massachusetts companies awarded the grants.

The grants, which support up to two years of training, will create approximately 1,700 new jobs and train a total of 13,000 workers statewide.

"To compete in the global economy, we must continuously invest in our workforce and I am proud to give thousands of our workers the chance to improve their skill sets," Gov. Deval Patrick said in a statement. "Because of innovative programs like the Workforce Training Fund, Massachusetts continues to lead the nation out of the global economic recession.”

The grants will allow employers to train employees in such skills as customer service, sales, machining, milling, robotics, project management, injection molding and computer technology.

The fiscal year 2012 budget established the Workforce Training Fund as a trust fund, allowing for collection and disbursement of funds as needed by businesses, rather than on an annual appropriation cycle.

Next year’s Workforce Training Fund will have approximately $18 million in grants available and any business that pays into it is eligible to apply for one. Program options include matching grants, off-the-shelf trainings for small businesses and new worker training grants for veterans or individuals who have been unemployed for at least six months. Workforce Training Fund grants are available for up to $250,000.

For more information on the application process visit www.mass.gov/wtfp.

Justin A. Rice can be reached at jrice.globe@gmail.com.