DWD Awards Over $2 Million in Wisconsin Fast Forward Worker Training Grants

MADISON – The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) has awarded nearly $2.3 million in Wisconsin Fast Forward worker training grants to 18 Wisconsin employers across the state to train more than 1,000 workers to meet workforce needs in the construction, customer service, healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation sectors.

The grants provide $2,277,392 in funds to reimburse the cost of occupational training for unemployed, underemployed, and current workers that will support career growth by qualifying trainees for full-time work, a higher level of employment, or increased wages. Some projects include partnerships with community organizations, local employers, and industry associations.

“Our Wisconsin Fast Forward grant program supports employers as they seek to attract, train, and retain a highly skilled workforce,” said DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek. “This strategic investment by Governor Evers is sustaining Wisconsin’s robust economy and strengthening our state’s workforce now and into the future. The Wisconsin Fast Forward program has been a tremendous success, and we’re pleased that the 2025-27 Biennial Budget includes funding to continue supporting workers and job seekers to get the training and skills they need.”

The state launched the Wisconsin Fast Forward program in 2013 to help businesses train and retain highly skilled workers and address the skills gap. Since then, these grants have provided more than $51 million to support more than 461 workforce training projects and benefited more than 30,000 workers.

Employers must meet these minimum requirements to receive funding:

• 85% of participants must complete training
• 65% must gain employment (the unemployed, hired; the underemployed, promoted)
• 75% of incumbent trainees receive pay raises
• 75% of trainees completing courses (that offer certifications) receive certifications

The $2,277,392 in Wisconsin Fast Forward grant awards support the following projects:

Construction:

Elexco Inc., Outagamie County | $367,229
This grant will be used to train 15 unemployed, five underemployed, and 27 current workers as underground utility technicians and foreman in fiberoptics, wireless cell towers, and green solar electric field utilities. Current employees could receive a wage increase of $10 or more per hour.

Tweet Garot Mechanical Inc., Brown County | $59,072
Tweet Garot will partner with The Utech Group to train 120 current employees as foremen, equipping them with leadership skills to advance their careers. Trainees could receive a wage increase of $2.50 or more per hour.

Customer Service:

PFS Corporation/PFS TECO, Dane County | $40,427
Partnering with Meagher Consulting LLC and Clarity Coaching & Consulting LLC, PFS will use funds to train 31 employees in managerial accounting, metric setting, structured training methodologies, and business optimization using Artificial Intelligence (AI). Trainees could receive a wage increase of $1 or more per hour.

Healthcare:

Chiara Communities Inc., Waukesha County | $262,395
Chiara Communities will partner with the National Certification Board for Alzheimer Care, Capri Communities, and the Granger Cobb Institute to train 15 underemployed people and 170 current workers in community-based residential facility management and dementia care. Current employees could receive a wage increase of 96 cents or more per hour.

City of Racine, Racine County | $141,355
Partnering with Gateway Technical College and Milwaukee Area Technical College South, the City of Racine will use funding to train six unemployed people and six current employees as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) and EMT-Paramedics. Unemployed workers will be hired by the city and current workers could receive a wage increase of $3.94 or more per hour.

Health Dimensions Group, Milwaukee County | $196,820
Health Dimensions will partner with the National Certification Board for Alzheimer’s Care, Coastal-ProChef, and the Granger Cobb Institute to train 10 unemployed, 15 underemployed, and 250 current workers in skilled nursing and senior living training. Current workers could receive a wage increase of 43 cents or more per hour.

Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service Wis. Inc., Milwaukee County | $209,977
Superior Air-Ground will partner with Life Support Training Institute to provide 100 unemployed people training toward certification as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs).

West Eau Claire Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Eau Claire County | $42,846
In partnership with the Healthcare Workforce Training Institute, West Eau Claire Rehabilitation and Nursing Center will use funds to provide training to 30 current nursing assistants to gain certification as medication aides. Trainees could receive a wage increase of $4.58 or more per hour.

Manufacturing:

AOS Water Treatment (North America) Inc., Outagamie County | $57,782
Funds will be used to train five unemployed, eight underemployed, and 33 current employees on new product lines and customized job tasks or work processes. Current workers could receive a wage increase of 50 cents or more per hour.

Epicurean Cutting Surfaces LLC, Douglas County | $36,609
In partnership with Manage Assist, Epicurean Cutting Surfaces LLC will use funds to train nine current employees in Lean manufacturing and supervision of the implementation of new processes. Trainees could receive a wage increase of 82 cents or more per hour.

Joseph A. Interiors, Brown County | $10,300
In partnership with Microvellum Software, Joseph A. Interiors will train four incumbent trainees using The Foundation Library training course to transition software from the current component library to the new foundation library. Trainees could receive a wage increase of $1.02 or more per hour.

Masters Gallery Foods Inc., Sheboygan County | $101,142
Masters Gallery Foods Inc. will partner with Quest Industrial LLC and Somic Packaging Inc. to train 25 unemployed and 70 current employees on new equipment and technology that produces packaged cheese slices. Current workers could receive a wage increase of 89 cents or more per hour.

Riverside Machine & Engineering Inc., Eau Claire County | $49,702
Riverside Machine & Engineering will partner with Manage Assist to train 31 incumbent trainees on sales skills and managing change. Trainees could receive a wage increase of 12 cents or more per hour.

Samuel Pressure Vessel Group, Lincoln County | $78,408
Samuel Pressure Vessel Group will partner with Manage Assist to train 18 current employees in Lean manufacturing, quality, and supervision. Trainees could receive a wage increase of $1.10 or more per hour.

Transportation:

City of Racine, Racine County | $213,530
Funding will go to the City of Racine to partner with Wisconsin Regional Training Program (WRTP) Big Step to train 14 unemployed people and 14 employees in Commercial Driver’s License A/B and Commercial Driver’s License Permit test preparation. Trainees will be employed by the City of Racine after completing training.

Mikrotech LLC, Kenosha County | $16,104
Mikrotech will partner with Wittmann USA Inc. and American Injection Molding (AIM) Institute to train three employees on Plastics, Technology & Engineering (PTE) Certification and R8 Advanced/Flex Programming. Trainees could receive a wage increase of $1.44 or more per hour.

Milwaukee Transport Services Inc., Milwaukee County | $387,366
Funding will go to Milwaukee Transport Services Inc. to offer apprenticeship programs to develop and hire 27 unemployed trainees to become bus mechanics and bus operators. The Bus Mechanic Apprenticeship Program will help lower-level maintenance employees become advanced diesel mechanics. The Bus Operator Apprenticeship Program will focus on training and mentorship to improve operator retention.

Skinner Transfer Corp., Sauk County | $6,328
In partnership with Mid-State Technical College, Skinner Transfer will provide one employee diesel technician training to help fill a maintenance shop workforce gap. The trainee could receive a wage increase of $11.25 or more per hour.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.