Job Training Incentives Program

The Department of Economic and Neighborhood Development promotes job training and re-training opportunities for local businesses.

“We offer many ways for local businesses to improve profitability and to secure their future in Hamden. Particularly in certain industries, we can help them access funds to train their employees in new technology or to be more productive.”

 

CTWorks Career Centers: Business Services

Employer Resources for: Industry Training, Hiring Incentives, Job Placement, Work-Ready Job Candidates

The Business Services professionals at CTWorks Career Centers can help you fill job openings with highly qualified job candidates. We can help your business:

• Save money. There is no charge for any of our services
• Save time. We match people with the right job skills, experience and abilities you need
• Access business tax credits for qualified individuals
• Use on-the-job training incentives to prepare qualified employees

CTWorks Career Centers are funded by Workforce Alliance, in partnership with the CT Department of labor.

Hiring Investment Incentives

OJT – On-the-job Training – CTWorks reimburses qualified employers with 50% or more of the wages paid to new hires to help offset training costs. You hire and train the employee at your facility.  Recent reimbursements have been as high as 90%, based on economic conditions. Qualified eligible individuals are screened and assessed for skills and aptitude. Starting wage must be at least $12 an hour. Call Steve Diaz, 203-624-1493 x 239.

Technical Skills Training Initiative

The Technical Skills Training Initiative provides incentives to help employers fill high tech positions without importing foreign workers. The program offers 50% - 75% wage reimbursement paid monthly during training. Simple paperwork makes it easy to access people on career paths in information technology (IT), engineering, and advanced manufacturing. Technical Skills Training Initiative targets the long-term unemployed, as well as veterans, people with disabilities and women. This project is entirely funded with fees employers have paid to recruit H1-B Visa workers from foreign countries. Call Christina Bartucca, (203) 1493 x223.

Subsidized Training & Employment Program (STEP UP)

The Subsidized Training & Employment Program (STEP UP) provides two types of hiring incentives – a scaled, six month wage subsidy and a small manufacturer training grant both of which provide up to $12,500 over a six-month training period. Qualified participants are typically residents who may have some of the necessary job qualifications but who still require on-the-job training to meet the needs of the company.

To be eligible for either program, the company must employ less than 100 people and training must be provided at the business site. The new employee must be an unemployed jobseeker, and those hired under the wage subsidy program must meet certain income requirements and reside in specific municipalities, based on population or unemployment rates. Small businesses and unemployed jobseekers seeking additional information on the STEP UP program should call Juliana Castillo, CTWorks, (203) 624-1493 x267.

STEP UP for Vets extends the basic STEP UP benefits to any veteran. Employers should call Kevin Seeley, (203) 624-1493 x235.

Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)

Companies can earn up to a $2,400 federal tax credit per qualified, eligible individual hired through the WOTC program.

Incumbent Worker Training

Incentive funds are frequently available for upgrading the skills of your existing workforce. Incumbent workers appreciate the opportunity to grow and succeed, and you are able to enhance skills to cope with new techniques, new machinery, or whole new areas of business.

Customized Training

Industry sectors are often in need of highly specific technical training for employees, but individual companies may be too small to accommodate training on their own. CTWorks will partner with trade associations and groups of companies in conjunction with the community colleges or other training vendors to devise just the right curriculum. Employers are reimbursed up to 50% of the cost of training. These services are available to any size company.

Recruitment

We work with any business to match your positions with the thousands of viable candidates that go through our Centers each year. Candidates are pre-qualified to match your openings.

In addition to entry level personnel, we also place managers, computer technicians, healthcare workers, skilled trades-people, and more. Our workforce professionals screen and evaluate candidates; you do the final round of interviews and select the best among equals.

Special Programs to Serve Our Veterans

We counted on them; now they count on us. Veterans and eligible spouses (Covered Persons) are given priority of service for the receipt of employment, training and placement services. CTWorks has a Veteran’s Coordinator who connects the right veteran with the right job opportunity.

Next Steps: Re-Entering the Workforce

Ex-offenders can make excellent, loyal employees. Our CTWorks Next Steps team works with ex-offenders to access all the support services they may need. Next Steps is a program of intense life skills as well as work skills training, requiring customers to attend workshops and participate at every step of the way. Once a candidate is placed, our Next Steps team continues to monitor and interact as needed to assure you get the best employee possible.

Dislocated Workers

CTWorks is part of a team of state and local officials that works with companies who are downsizing or planning moves or closures that will affect 100 or more employees. We often have federal funds for re-training, OJT, and other incentives to assist in placing these experienced, capable individuals.

Call Steve Diaz, (203) 624-1493 x239 for information and access to any of our programs.

Gateway Community College

Gateway provides residents and business of the Greater New Haven area with innovative educational programs as well as social and cultural opportunities. Each year more than 14,000 individuals choose from the more than 100 accredited degree and certificate programs at Gateway Community College which they take for college credit, professional development and personal enrichment. The college’s focus is on associate degrees and certificates in academic, career, engineering technology, technical study programs, health career fields and more.

History

On July 1, 1992, the new Gateway’s location at Long Wharf, formerly known as South Central Community College, combined resources with Greater New Haven State Technical College in North Haven. This merged instruction is now one of twelve community colleges in Connecticut.

GCC Mission and Purposes

Gateway Community College offers high-quality instruction and comprehensive services in an environment conducive to learning. We respond to the changing academic, occupational, technological, and cultural needs of a diverse population. To realize this mission, Gateway Community College:

• Offers a broad range of credit and credit-free liberal arts and sciences, technical, and career associate degree and certificate programs and courses leading to transfer, employment, and lifelong learning;
• Encourages student success and inclusion through stimulating learning opportunities, innovative teaching, support services, and co-curricular activities;
• Supports economic development through partnerships with business, industry, government, and our community by providing workforce development, business development, and technology transfer;
• Strengthens our community through the sponsorship of intellectual, cultural, social, and recreational events and activities;
• Engages students and community members as active, responsible leaders.

Gateway Community College, along with the 16 other Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (ConnSCU)—four state universities, 12 community colleges, and Charter Oak State College—is governed by the Board of Regents (BOR) for Higher Education.