JOB SKILLS PROGRAM

The Washington State Legislature created the Job Skills Program (JSP) to make the state, business and education equal partners in promoting a productive and expanding economy. The program provides grants to educational and training institutions which can partner with one or more companies to help meet those companies employment needs; train Washington's people for jobs in new and expanding industries; and encourage business and industry support of educational institutions.

ELIGIBLE PROGRAMS

JSP financial grants provide matching support for:

• Short-term entry-level skills training for prospective employees before a new plant opens or when an existing industry expands.
• Retraining and upgrading of employees to help companies keep pace with technological change and other changes in the labor market where necessary to avoid dislocation, or where upgrading of existing employees will create new vacancies for unemployed persons.

THE BENEFITS

If your firm qualifies, JSP can provide a custom designed program to meet your company training needs. Administered through the Community Colleges of Spokane, JSP can help your firm acquire better trained, more productive workers and save your firm training money.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

JSP grants are administered by the Community Colleges of Spokane for:

• new and growing industries
• businesses locating in areas affected by economic dislocation
• businesses serving areas with high concentrations of economically disadvantaged persons and high unemployment businesses serving areas where there is a shortage of skilled labor to meet job demands
• businesses which need to train or retrain workers to avoid dislocation
• businesses upgrading existing employees to create entry level vacancies for unemployed persons

THE COST

JSP legislation requires that each dollar of grant money be matched by at least one dollar of matching funds by participating businesses. Matching dollar values can be cash or the current fair market value of donated or loaned equipment, donated instructional time by company personnel, or use of company facilities, supplies and materials. In many cases, matching dollar values exceed JSP grant funds.

JSP SUCCESS STORIES

BUILDING GREEN 360

WASHINTON'S JOB SKILLS PROGRAM (JSP)

For more information, call (509)-533-4700.