The Vermont Training Program provides funds for the training of employees in new and existing businesses in the sectors of Manufacturing, Information Technology, Healthcare, Telecommunication, and Environmental Engineering. The state offers three training initiatives: new employment, upgrade, and crossover training for incumbent workers. These individually designed training programs may include on-the-job, classroom, skill upgrade, or other specialized training which are mutually agreed upon between the state and employer.
Eligibility to Participate:
- Guarantee that the training requested will supplement, rather than replace, the company's ongoing, normal training efforts.
- Agree to pay wages equal to at least twice minimum wage ($16.12) at completion of training, if no benefits are provided to the employee.
a. In calculating completion-of-training wages, waivers shall be granted up to 30% for new hires (minimum allowable wage is $11.28) and 20% for upgrade or crossover training (minimum allowable wage is $12.89), if an employer offers three of the following: health care benefits with 50% of the premium paid by the employer; dental assistance; paid vacation and holidays; child care; other extraordinary benefits and retirement benefits. Three of these benefits must be provided to the employee by the end of the first six months of full employment.
b. If an employer operates in a labor market area where unemployment is 50% greater than the State's current average, the employer must agree to pay wages equal to at least one and one half times minimum wage at the completion of training.