Workforce Training Assistance
Category: Local Incentives
Grow Wabash County is acutely aware of the importance that a skilled and educated workforce is to the success of both our community and the many companies that do business here. Wabash County has become an example in the northeast Indiana region for how a community can and should rally around its citizens to provide high-quality education in the trades, skills and competencies that are in highest demand from our major employers. We are happy to help connect you and your employees to the necessary training programs as well as funding to help cover some or all of the tuition costs for those trainings.
Training Classes
Grow Wabash County enjoys a strong relationship with many educational partners and institutions including CTS Driving Academy, Freedom Academy, Heartland Career Center, Indiana University Kokomo, Ivy Tech Community College, Learn More Center and WorkOne Indiana (to name a few!) Annually, Grow Wabash County works within this educational network to organize a diverse slate of certification trainings. For a full list of educational partners, visit our Workforce Partners page.
These trainings have included: Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA); Class A Commercial Drivers License (CDL); Computer Numerical Controls (CNC) Machining; Industrial Maintenance (IMT); Leadership Development; Lean Six Sigma (Green and Black Belt); and Welding. The slate of offerings varies from year to year according to the needs of major employers. Additional work is being done to incorporate more Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing programming.
For a full list of upcoming training programs open to Wabash County residents, visit our Workforce Programs page.
Funding Options
In addition to working with various partners to schedule training courses in Wabash County, Grow Wabash County has also established a robust program to provide tuition assistance to as many Wabash County residents possible by leveraging dollars from various programs through the State of Indiana as well funds awarded to Grow Wabash County to provide scholarships that cover some or all of the tuition costs for eligible applicants.
Some of the various programs that can provide funding to students and/or employers to cover employee training costs include:
- Next Level Jobs is a program launched by the State of Indiana to help Hoosiers and their employers get connected to the necessary programs and funds to upskill their teams and maintain a capable labor force. Included in this program are Workforce Ready grants that may be awarded to employers to help cover tuition for their employees seeking certification training. Learn more here.
- Ivy Tech Foundation provides a limited number of scholarships each year for Wabash County residents pursuing various certification programs facilitated by Ivy Tech Community College.
- Questa Education Foundation provides resources and forgivable loans to “contemporary” or adult learners pursuing post-secondary training. Oftentimes these loans are fully forgiven if the recipient lives and works in northeast Indiana for at least 5 years after receiving their certification. Learn more here.
- Wabash County Resident Scholarships Thanks to the generous support of the Community Foundation of Wabash County and the Don Wood Foundation, Wabash County residents that need financial assistance can apply for a scholarship online here: www.growwabashcounty.com/trainingscholarship