Upskilling California’s Workforce: Turnkey Access To Training Funding To Benefit Your Team

In this blog, we’ll explore the importance of workforce development as well as how CMTC assists California manufacturers in accessing ETP funds for customized training.

Impact of Workforce Development

Did you know that…

• According to a survey by LinkedIn, 94% of employees would stay with a company longer if that company invested in their career
• McKinsey found that companies that manage and develop talent are more financially successful, have higher employee satisfaction rates, and are better positioned to weather market downturns
• Retention rates rise 30-50% for companies with strong learning cultures
• 60% of millennials wish they had access to leadership training

It turns out that for businesses, directly investing in their workforce is a win/win. For employees, it’s a chance to improve career prospects by learning new skills and developing talents they might have left dormant. And, for business owners, it means earning the loyalty of their workforce while simultaneously improving their output.

Employment Training Panel (ETP)

It’s clear that employee training is vital to success; however, training costs can be prohibitive for some organizations. Luckily, ETP acts as a great resource for companies interested in taking advantage of state funds that incentivize training and employee development. 

If you’ve never heard of ETP, here are a few facts to get you up to speed:

• ETP is a state agency within California’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) that provides offset funding for qualified California manufacturers that are investing in upskilling their workforce
• ETP’s goals include improving job creation and employee retention as well as improving the state’s overall economic resilience
• Today, ETP funds a range of programs in many industries but remains centered on California’s manufacturing sector
• ETP will fund nearly $98 million in training for FY 2023/2024 under the core program

CMTC’s Partnership with ETP

For over 25 years, CMTC has proudly partnered with ETP to upskill California’s manufacturing employees and improve the competitiveness of the state’s economy. CMTC’s partnership with ETP allows CMTC to provide valuable services to California’s manufacturers that they may have had difficulty accessing otherwise.

#1 - ETP Standard MEC

The standard ETP MEC allows CMTC to access core ETP funds to provide trainers, materials, and expertise in order to get SMMs up and running quickly. 

Training options are comprehensive and courses are customized to meet each client’s needs. Here are just a few of the available training topics:

• Leadership
• Communications / Team Building
• Sales
• Customer Service
• Blueprint Reading & Shop Math
• Soldering
• CAD/CAM & SolidWorks
• Computer Skills (Word, Excel, Database)
• Quality Management Systems

Eligible participants are:

• Full-time W-2 employees (full-time is defined as 35 hours per week or more)
• Not currently enrolled in any other ETP-funded program
• Earning the ETP minimum hourly wage, which varies by county and ranges from $18.54 to $24.72

#2 - ETP Vocational ESL/Basic Skills Pilot MEC

ETP has created a new pilot program targeting Vocational English as Second Language (VESL) and Basic Skills training in order to help employers build their workers’ skills in these key areas. The goal is to remove barriers and limitations in order for employees to more fully participate in the workplace, take advantage of growth opportunities, and become more effective and valuable employees. The impact of improving English proficiency is far-reaching for both participants and companies. This training leads to increased productivity, communication, collaboration, and employee retention.

Training topics are focused on building foundational skills including:

• Vocational English as a Second Language (VESL)
• Basic Math
• Digital Literacy

Eligible participants are:

• Immigrant workers who would benefit from literacy training to participate in the workplace and their career development more fully
• Earning the state minimum wage of $15.50/hr
• W-2 employees that will be full-time by the completion of training (35 hours per week or more)

**Additional Eligibility Information for ETP MECs**

For both programs, eligible employers need to:

• Pay into Unemployment Insurance
• Have a priority NAICS (manufacturing and logistics are considered priority)
• Have a turnover of 20% or less

 For both programs, training parameters are:

• 8 to 200 hours per trainee in approved contract curriculum topic(s) (training may consist of a single topic or multiple topics)
• Live instruction – either at your work site or delivered virtually

Working with CMTC to Access ETP Funding & Upskill Your Employees

In a rapidly evolving business landscape, staying competitive requires a skilled and adaptable workforce. CMTC helps manufacturers achieve increased performance and ROI through high-quality, customized workforce training as well as assistance with securing state funding to offset training costs.

Click here to sign-up for a no-cost consultation to discuss your company's training objectives and funding qualifications. CMTC will partner with your organization to help you define a training plan and execute your vision!