How to get $1000 of Training for $100

Every company must continuously improve to remain competitive in the global economy. With the whole only being as good as the sum of the parts, organizations must have a healthy process for developing human capital. Key questions to ponder:
1. Are you helping your employees grow?
2. Are they constantly learning new skills and experiencing new techniques, tools, and philosophies?
3. Is the thought process of your workforce as mature as it can be?
4. Have you mastered the basics?
5. Do you have real, effective teams that pull the best out of individuals?
6. Are your employees truly engaged in the improvement of the business?

I have no doubt that most leaders consider these questions but struggle to answer them. To manage means many things: satisfying customers, watching the bottom line, dousing daily fires, and leading people. I don’t think anyone will disagree that the last one is arguably the most important. Take care of your people and the rest should fall in line.

But this is easier said than done. To embark on a path of continuous improvement and human capital development can be costly and demanding of resources. Such impediments make it easy for leaders to throw their hands in the air and place priority on other less important things.

Well, there is help to remove these barriers. Have you heard of the Incumbent Worker Training Program (IWT)? The program’s purpose is to provide resources for employers to train currently employed workers in an effort to keep businesses and workers competitive. Funded by the Federal Workforce Investment Act, (WIA) applications are open to South Carolina companies that meet certain guidelines. To qualify, a business:
1. Must have been in operation in South Carolina for a minimum of one year prior to application date
2. Must have at least one full time employee
3. Must be current on all state tax obligations

If the criteria are met, a company submits an application to the Local Workforce Investment Area. (LWIA) Priority is given to:
1. Applications representing a significant upgrade in employee skills and/or employee wage increases as a result of training
2. Applications representing a significant layoff avoidance strategy and providing retention opportunities
3. Businesses that have not received an IWT award during the prior or current program year.

If awarded funding, a company can seek training from any number of sources: private entities, technical colleges, school districts, and state universities. The training can occur at the business or at the training provider’s facility.

Employers must provide a matching contribution to the training project that shall not be less than:
1. 10% of the costs for businesses with 50 or fewer employees
2. 15% of the costs for businesses with more than 50 employees but fewer than 100 employees
3. 25% of the costs for businesses with 100 or more employees

So, in category one, you get $1000 of training for $100.

This is a wonderful service provided by the state. I have worked with several clients who used the funds to conduct training and coaching sessions that had lasting effects on their organization. The funding gave the companies flexibility to implement ideas that were previously only dreamed about. Examples of projects I’ve supported include coaching and training employees through the application of Six Sigma tools, coaching and training employees in the application of lean principles, and a complete revision (led by employees) of processes critical to the success of the company.

The program is administered by Local Workforce Investment Areas throughout the state. The funds usually become available in mid to late summer of each year. Prior to the availability of funds, each area issues a call for applications to local businesses. For more information on the program and to learn the contact names for your area, visit http://www.sccommerce.com/wia/incumbent.html.


If you need help completing the application, please contact me.