Champaign County Chamber Of Commerce: Incumbent Worker Training Program

Press release from Champaign County Chamber of Commerce:

January 21, 2022

Training Dollars are Available with the Incumbent Worker Training Program

The Champaign County Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission to bring our Chamber members the opportunity to train and upskill existing workers with federal grant funds.

The Chamber is here to help you navigate the grant program process. We can help you get the training dollars you need to train your existing workforce to increase productivity, improve retention of valued employees and boost your companies’ competitiveness.

Approved Industries for Grant Funding

• Healthcare
• Manufacturing
• Information Technology
• Green
• Transportation Distribution and Logistics
• Green Training Will Also Be Allowable Across All Industries

What the Training Grant Provides

• Hands On Training Designed by the Business
• Payment to Offset Training Costs
• Opportunity to Train Employees Your Way via On-Site and/or Classroom Training
• Flexibility in Selecting Trainers
• Less Paperwork

A wide range of training topics and delivery arrangements may be proposed. Training that is closely linked to specific jobs, as well as job advancement, is encouraged.

Typical Training Costs Eligible for Reimbursement

• Tuition and School Fees
• Books
• Training Materials and Supplies
• Pre- and Post-Testing
• Vocational Counseling
• Vendor/Contractor Training Costs
• Travel Expenses of Trainers
• Travel Expenses of Trainees
• Training Facility Costs (offsite)
• Fees for Technical or Professional Certifications
• Refresher Courses for Occupational Certifications

How Does a Business Qualify?

To be eligible for an IWT grant, the business must show that jobs may be retained if current workers obtain in-demand skills. Key indicators include:

• Declining Sales
• Supply Chain Issues
• Adverse Industry/Market Trends
• Changes in Management Philosophy or Ownership

Requirements for Employees Receiving the Training Qualifications

• Employed at the Company
• Meet the Fair Labor Standards Act Requirements for an Employer-Employee Relationship
• Have an Established Employment with the Company of 6 Months or More
• However, if the IWT is Being Provided to a Cohort of Employees, Not Every Employee Must be with the Company for 6 Months or More

Employer Matching Requirement

This grant does require that employers match training funds based on size of the company:

• 10% of the Cost for 1-50 Employees
• 25% of the Cost for 51-100 Employees
• 50% of the Cost for 101 or More Employees

Submitting the IWT Proposal/Finalizing the Project

• Employers will need to complete a proposal outlining their plans for employee training
• The Chamber and the RPC staff are happy to assist businesses with completing proposals
• Once eligibility has been determined, the RPC Business Service Team will work with the business to outline the training program and assist with identifying and securing a trainer, if needed

The Chamber is here to help you with every step of the process, so please contact us today to see how we can help you obtain the training dollars needed to help you with your workforce development.

Please see these documents for more information about the Incumbent Worker Program:

Supporting materials:

WIOA Training Quick Facts

WIOA Desk Reference

Incumbent Worker Proposal

This press release was produced by Champaign County Chamber of Commerce. The views expressed here are the author’s own.