MADISON — The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) recently announced almost $1.3 million in Wisconsin Fast Forward worker training grants.

The worker training grants will help support 12 employers and serve up to 714 trainees in the high-demand sectors of manufacturing and transportation. Many of the projects are made possible through partnerships with community organizations, local employers, and industry associations.

“Wisconsin Fast Forward is one of many innovative ways DWD is investing in the attraction, skill development, and retention of workers in our state,” DWD Secretary-designee Amy Pechacek said. “Through these solutions, we are meeting the talent needs of employers so our state’s economy can thrive.”

The Wisconsin Fast Forward standard grant program awards funds to Wisconsin businesses to reimburse costs associated with occupational training. The grants cover training costs for those who are unemployed or underemployed, as well as for incumbent workers. Participants who successfully complete the training program will gain opportunities for employment, higher-level employment, or increased wages.

In the 2023 fiscal year, DWD’s Office of Skills Development awarded and administered more than $5.1 million in Wisconsin Fast Forward grants for up to an estimated 2,139 trainees.

Grants range from $5,000 to $400,000 and projects require a 50 percent cash or in-kind employer match. The grant program is open to all industry sectors. The training must provide transferrable skills. Individuals eligible for training are incumbent workers, underemployed workers, and the unemployed.

To receive funding, employers must meet these minimum requirements:

●  85% of the participants must complete training.

●  65% must gain employment (the unemployed, hired; the underemployed, promoted).

●  75% of incumbent trainees receive pay raises.