Boca Raton firm shares in Workforce Alliance funding
Published December 14th, 2007
By John Johnston
Managing Editor
A Boca Raton firm is among ten other Palm Beach County employers
to share $346,480 in federally funded training grants given by the
Workforce Alliance. The funding will provide job-related training
for over 220 employees.
Roger Barranco, vice president of operations for Host.net / BroadbandONE,
Inc. of Boca Raton, said, "One advantage of the Workforce Alliance
funding was that we were able to conduct formal training for our employees
on-site during their normal shift hours, so we didn't have to break
up any shifts. The additional CISCO certifications that resulted from
the training will help us give better service to our customers."
The program, entitled "Employed Worker Training," is intended
to help Palm Beach County businesses remain prosperous and competitive
by providing funds to give their employees additional skills or a
certification, advance their wages and help provide a path to personal
advancement,” according to Kathryn Schmidt, president and CEO
of Workforce Alliance.
"The total impact of the grants was over $900,000 since the
ten businesses that received the awards added a total of over $556,000
of their own funds to conduct the training,” said Schmidt, adding:
“The companies benefit through increased productivity, company
efficiency, and employee retention, and therefore, the taxpayer-funded
program requires that each participating employer share in the total
cost."
Receiving training grants during the past quarter were: JMWA Architects,
Inc., Host.net, Daszkal Bolton LLP, Okeelanta Corporation, Viking
(JS Family Holdings), Maschmeyer Concrete, Folding Shutters Corporation,
Spine LLC, and Balfoort Finnvold Architects.
Workforce Alliance is the non-profit company chartered by the state
to develop and manage a county workforce system. Alliance is the local
recipient of federal taxpayer dollars earmarked to assist local employers
that need employee training.
The federal funds also can be applied to work readiness training
for job seekers, and other measures designed to ensure the availability
of a skilled and qualified labor pool. "You have already paid
for it," CEO Kathryn Schmidt tells employers, "so why not
use it?"
Delray businessman, Randy K. Johnson, and Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce
President and CEO Troy McLellan were recently reappointed to the Workforce
Alliance board of directors.
Businesses interested in obtaining more information or eligibility
criteria for similar training grants should contact Mimi Coenen, Workforce
Alliance, Senior Director of Business Services (561) 340-1060, ext.
359 (mcoenen@pbcalliance.com); or Carol Carlson, Director of Business
Services (561) 340-1060 ext. 380 (ccarlson@pbcalliance.com). Information
and application procedures are also available on line at www.pbcalliance.com
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