Staff Writer

Employers have another week to sign up for a program that provides companies with grants to pay for additional training for their workers.

The Upstate Workforce Investment Board (WIB) has extended the deadline for applications for the Incumbent Worker Training Grants to 5 p.m. May 30. Companies in Cherokee, Spartanburg and Union counties are eligible to apply for the grants through the WIB.

Today was the original deadline, but WIB Business Services Coordinator Beth Fowler said that while several businesses in the three-county region - including one in Union County - have already applied for the grants, others are still working on their applications. She said it was felt the deadline should be extended to allow those businesses time to complete their applications and submit them.

The grants will be awarded three to four weeks after the deadline. To qualify for a grant, a business must have at least one full-time employee and be current on all state tax obligations. Applications received after the deadline will be kept on file and considered for approval when additional funding is available.

Incumbent Worker Training Grants are for employers who want to upgrade the skills of current employees. They provide opportunities for training in programs for computer skills; manufacturing skills specific to industries; and soft skills such as leadership and management training.

The grants reduce a company's training costs, allowing them to train their employees in a wide array of programs, specific to the company's needs. The program enables employees to gain improved job skills that help them perform their jobs more efficiently and effectively, which increases the company's productivity.

Nearly $500,000 in grants were awarded to companies in the three-county region in 2007 with each company receiving an average of $13,000. Seven of those companies were located in Union County - Disney Direct Marketing, Wallace Thomson Hospital, Timken, Carlisle Finishing, Versa-Tech, Hart Insurance Agency and Sight & Sound Photography.

Applications and guidelines can be picked up at Union CareerSource at 103 West Main St. Completed applications can be mailed to or dropped off at the WIB office at 102 Commerce St. or P.O. Box 5666, Spartanburg, S.C. 29304. Interested employers can alao visit the WIB website (www.upstatewib.org) and click on the news tab to access the applications and guidelines.

For more information about Incumbent Worker Training Grants contact Beth Fowler at (864) 427-4119 (TTY:711) or bfowler@upstatewib.org.