A skilled workforce is key for businesses and their employees to compete and thrive. But keeping current employees equipped with the latest skills and knowledge can be costly.

A new employee development grant program is underway at WorkForce Central designed to strengthen the skills and capacities of incumbent workers. The Pierce County Workforce Development Council recently authorized $200,000 to seed an incumbent worker training grant program. This pilot program is designed strengthen the competitiveness of employers and employees and avert potential layoffs.

Benefits run deep and wide

For employers, these grants can improve employee engagement and retention, attract new talent, increase collaboration between departments, and speed up the adoption of new trends within the company or industry. For employees, new skills and/or credentials can provide job sustainability, increased workplace opportunity and upward mobility.

WorkForce Central is currently developing the employer-based grant program and aims to implement it in September 2021. For more information about the program, contact Teresa Delicino, WorkForce Central Senior Director of Business Solutions, at tdelicino@workforce-central.org.