WednetPA (Workforce Training)
Guaranteed Free Training (GFT)
The Guaranteed Free Training program rewards companies entering
a state of growth. Do You Qualify?
Kutztown University is one of 32 colleges and universities throughout
the Commonwealth able to offer Guaranteed Free Training through a $11.5
million grant awarded by the Department of Community and Economic Development
(DCED).
To be eligible for the WEDnetPA grant, employers and their employees
must meet the following set of qualifications as required by DCED:
Employers seeking Guaranteed Free Training (GFT) funds must:
• Be based in Pennsylvania or maintain a significant presence in the state;
• Be a manufacturing and/or technology-based business, to include Environmental and Bio Technology-based business;
• Be government, education, non-profit entities;
• Point-of-sale retail organizations are not
eligible.
Employers must verify that employees participating in the training:
• Earn at least 150% of the minimum wage, excluding benefits;
• Work full-time and are permanently employed;
• Are verifiable residents of Pennsylvania and are employed in Pennsylvania;
• Are front-line employees or first level supervisors (can be
both new hires and incumbent workers).
The Guaranteed Free Training program is available in a wide range of work skills.
Basic Skills Training
A simple set of additional qualifications determines which companies
and employees are eligible to receive Basic Skills Training.
• Employees must be frontline employees or
first-level supervisors.
• Employees with decision-making responsibilities (budgeting,
policy, etc.) and/or employees who supervise other supervisors are not
eligible.
• Employers must be manufacturing or technology-based businesses
including Biotech and Environmental-Tech companies.
• Employers may apply for funding for any number of eligible employees
up to $450 per employee and $75,000 per fiscal year (July 1 to June
30).
• On-the-job, ales, and orientation training do not qualify for
the program.
• Funds cannot be used to address workplace literacy needs including
English as a Second Language.
Eligible training activities, as set forth by DCED, will be those that
improve the skill level of employees through the introduction of basic
and entry-level work skills required to be successful in various jobs.
Possible topics include:
• Communication and Teamwork
• Applied Mathematics and Measurement
• Workplace Health and Safety
• Problem Solving
• Business Operations
• Computers
• Quality Assurance
• Product and Process Control
• Workplace Behavior Skills
• Manufacturing Fundamentals
- Welding, Soldering
- Tool, Grinding
- Setup
- Machine Maintenance
- Blueprint Reading
This grant will provide up to $450 reimbursement per qualified employee
(maximum of $75,000 per company).
Information Technology Training
A simple set of additional qualifications determines which companies
and employees are eligible to receive Information Technology Training.
Employees participating in the training must be:
• Technical works or information technology professionals or
• Frontline employees and first-level supervisors of manufacturing
companies needing advanced applied manufacturing technology training.
Introductory IT, introductory applied manufacturing and sales training
courses are not eligible. MS Office software training does not quality
as this training is considered basic skills training and is eligible
for that program.
Eligible training activities as set forth by DCED will be intermediate
to high-end information technology topics that improve the skill level
of information technology employees of the company.
Possible topics include:
• e-Business/e-Commerce
• Website Design/Development
• Database Development
• Software Engineering
• Computer Programming
• Systems Analysis
• Management Information Systems
• Network Administration
• Information Security
• Technology Support
• Applied Manufacturing Technology
- CAD PLC
- CNC CAM
Note: Word processing, spreadsheet, end-user, and presentation graphics
software training are not eligible.
This grant will provide up to $850 reimbursement per qualified employee!
(maximum of $50,000 per company)
Fast Facts
about WEDnetPA:
-
WEDnetPA is funded by the Department of Community & Economic Development through the Customized Job Training (CJT) initiative.
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Since its inception in 1999, WEDnetPA has assisted more than 14,500 companies and helped train nearly 900K employees.
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WEDnetPA partners provide support to help companies assess their training needs, develop training plans, and apply for funding – all at no cost to the companies.
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Approximately 90% of all state funds allowed to WEDnetPA have gone directly to pay for employee training; with a relatively low operating budget averaging just 10%.
-
Last year, 2010, 94% of training funds were fully expended – an investment in PA’s workforce of $7.8M. This leveraged another $11.7M of private sector investment.
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On average, companies provide a 1.5 to 1 cash match for every WEDnetPA dollar invested in training. Including in-kind, the match increases to 4 to 1.
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According to a study by the Department of Labor and Industry’s Center for Workforce Information Analysis, companies experience a 96% retention rate among employees trained through WEDnetPA and those employees increase their wages an average of 7.4% within the first year.
For details and eligibility criteria, kindly contact:
For further information about WEDnetPA Guaranteed Free Training, visit:
www.wednetpa.com
