Ohio Governor John Kasich
$30 Million available to improve skills of Ohio workforce
Incumbent Workforce Training Voucher Program Launches Second Round

COLUMBUS – Today Gov. John R. Kasich celebrated the launch of the second round of Ohio’s Incumbent Workforce Training Voucher Program and the $30 million in training vouchers now available to businesses and workers. Federal assistance is available for training but largely only after people have first lost their jobs. The Ohio Incumbent Workforce Training Voucher Program helps Ohioans who have jobs upgrade their skills so they can keep their jobs and their employers can become more competitive.

“Ohio’s economy is coming back, companies are growing again and our workforce is getting stronger. We need to keep pushing ahead to ensure that our job creators have the resources they need to be competitive in a global economy, and that starts with skilled employees. These vouchers help get Ohio workers the training they need so their companies and our entire state economy can continue to grow,” said Kasich.

During an event Monday at Hartzell Air Movement in Piqua, Kasich discussed the Incumbent Workforce Training Voucher Program and highlighted success stories of businesses that have utilized the program to upgrade the skills of their existing workforce. Hartzell Air Movement is one of more than 450 companies that collectively applied for $20 million in training vouchers during the program’s first round, which launched in January 2013. Joining Kasich for Monday’s event was Ohio Development Services Agency (ODSA) Director David Goodman, Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation Director Tracy Intihar, and the leadership team and employees of Hartzell Air Movement.

“We are not only building stronger employees, we’re building a stronger workforce,” said Goodman. “This program is exactly what companies needed to take their expertise to the next level and remain competitive.”

The Incumbent Workforce Training Voucher Program, administered by ODSA, is part of the Kasich Administration’s overall workforce development reform effort and provides direct financial assistance to both Ohio workers looking to improve their skills and employers looking to enhance the skills of their workforce. It’s operated as a reimbursable program, and is available to Ohio companies that have been in operation for at least 12 months and Ohio employees with the permission of their employer. ODSA reimburses the employer for up to 50 percent of the eligible training costs, up to $4,000 per employee, after 1) the employer pays the full cost of the training, and 2) the employee successfully completes the training. The maximum amount an employer may qualify for in a fiscal year is $250,000.

Applications for round two are now available. For more information about the Ohio Incumbent Workforce Training Voucher Program visit http://development.ohio.gov/bs/bs_wtvp.htm.