Pasco County boasts a diverse economic landscape ranging from tourism and hospitality to advanced manufacturing and technology. Despite the variation in industries, one common thread unites them all: the need for a skilled and adaptable workforce. Investing in employee upskilling and training isn't just a good idea—it's a strategic necessity.
With industries evolving rapidly, businesses must ensure their workforce is equipped with the latest skills and knowledge to stay competitive. Investing in employee development fosters loyalty and reduces turnover, saving time and resources spent on recruitment and training new hires. A skilled workforce can adapt to changes in technology, market trends, and customer preferences, enabling businesses to innovate and thrive. Training your business’s existing employees is a great way to enhance employees’ productivity, work quality, loyalty, and decrease employee turnover.
Local Resources for Upskilling:
CareerSource Pasco Hernando provides training grants. These grants cover up to 90% of training costs for existing and new employees, offering flexibility and support tailored to business needs.
The local state-funded workforce board, CareerSource Pasco Hernando, offers training grants to existing, for-profit businesses to assist businesses in effectively retaining employees and keeping businesses competitive through
upgrading skills training for employees. Upgrade your existing team’s skills to improve retention and advancement in your company, with financial assistance provided through the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA).
CareerSource Pasco Hernando currently offers two main types of training grants for eligible businesses: the Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) grant and the On-the-Job Training (OJT) grant. Both programs provide grant funding for customized training for existing, for-profit businesses. Award allotments are up to 90% of the total training or upskilling cost for employees, allowing you to use the reimbursements as it best fits your business! These training grants are highly flexible, so you can use them to assist your employees in gaining a new industry-recognized certification, train on a new technology or machinery, gain a new skill that would be relevant to your business, and more. You also choose your preferred training provider. When you decide to pursue a training grant, you will be assigned a business services representative from CareerSource Pasco Hernando to guide you through the process. Our workforceCONNECT program can connect you with your business services consultant. Your consultant will confirm your eligibility before you apply.
The major difference between the IWT and OJT grants relies on if your employees needing to be trained are new or current. The IWT grant can be utilized for existing employees that have worked with your business for at least 6 months. The OJT grant can be utilized for new employees that have worked with your business for less than 6 months, and they should also not have work experience in the specified role. For both grants, employees must be full-time and of W2 status.
AmSkills corporate training for your manufacturing employees.
Specializing in manufacturing, AmSkills services the Tampa Bay by providing training to the manufacturing industry. For employers, in addition to engagement opportunities in their bootcamp, apprenticeship, and pre-apprenticeship programs, AmSkills offers customizable training programs to enhance the skills of your workforce, whether on-site or at their state-of-the-art facility in Holiday, FL. The center boasts mechanics, mechatronics, robotics, 3D printing, carpentry, and more.
When utilizing AmSkills for training your employees, you will choose from a catalog of courses in robotics, mechatronics, and machining. AmSkills offers SACA micro-credentials and is the only Gold Standard SACA Training Center in Florida. Some courses you can choose for your employees include electrical systems, motor control troubleshooting, electrical systems installation, pneumatic systems, and more. The micro-credentials are stackable into an industrial certification that demonstrates your employees' skills and knowledge. Machining courses follow NIMS standards to teach CNC machining. Mechatronics courses partner with Amatrol Systems to deliver technical knowledge on a variety of skillsets. Whichever course you choose you can be assured that an expert AmSkills instructor will teach your staff in the format that best suits your business needs. Employed worker training offerings from AmSkills also pair well with IWT and OJT grants from CareerSource Pasco Hernando, meaning you could get reimbursed up to 90% with a CareerSource Pasco Hernando training grant.
Delta Hydronics, LLC a Pasco-based engineering, equipment supply, and fabrication company specialized in providing heating and cooling solutions for commercial aquatics, is a recent recipient of IWT grant funding and AmSkills corporate training. After being connected to CareerSource Pasco Hernando and AmSkills through workforceCONNECT, Delta Hydronics applied to the IWT grant with assistance from the assigned business services consultant. Delta Hydronics chose to have their employees trained on SACA Electrical Systems, personalizing the training duration to fit their business schedules. An AmSkills instructor traveled on-site, and five employees underwent a 10-week training on-site, all passing the training.
Utilizing Education & Training Providers
Pasco County has a strong presence of education and training providers. Locally, there are several education and training providers that provide corporate training, such as Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC) Corporate College, PHSC Career and Job Training, and Saint Leo University's micro-credentials through the Center for Alternative Pathway Programs (CAPP). With training grants from CareerSource Pasco Hernando, you have the flexibility to choose your own training provider! View more education and training providers on our Employer Resource Library.
Conclusion:
Investing in employee upskilling isn't just about individual growth—it's about unlocking the full potential of your business. By tapping into local resources and providing opportunities for continuous learning and development, Pasco County businesses can build a skilled workforce that drives innovation, fosters growth, and propels the local economy forward.
Ready to take your business to the next level? Explore the diverse range of upskilling resources available in Pasco County and invest in the future success of your workforce today! If you are interested in getting a training grant to upskill or train your new or existing employees, or if you want to talk about which education and training provider is best for your training needs, contact the workforceCONNECT team!