An Elmsford company will be the first local beneficiary of a state program that provides partial reimbursement to employers for the training of new employees, County Executive Robert P. Astorino announced.
The company, SolarCity, which manufactures and installs solar panels, was the first to submit an application to the Westchester-Putnam Workforce Investment Board (WIB) for the state's On the Job Training Program (OJT). Once the application is approved by the state and the funds are released to the WIB, the county will establish a contract with SolarCity that will reimburse the company for at least half of the $160,000 it will spend to hire and train 40 employees over the next few weeks.
OJT allows employers to receive a subsidy of between 50 to 90 percent for up to six months for hiring and training new full-time employees. The rate of reimbursement is based on the size of the business. The funds are available through a $6.4 million National Emergency Grant program from the U.S. Department of Labor. The money can be used to hire new employees who need training.
Astorino encouraged other employers to apply, saying, "We are there to help our local businesses access state resources, so they can grow and create more jobs. I urged businesses to contact our One-Stop Employment Centers to learn more."
"We are currently looking to hire around 40 new solar installers,” said Ed Steins, SolarCity’s Northeast regional vice president. “SolarCity has always invested in local economic development by investing in training and recruiting veterans and unemployed workers. The OJT program is a new way for us to connect with qualified job seekers and ensure that we can fully prepare them for their new responsibilities.”
Larry Gottlieb, director of Economic Development for Westchester County, added, "By helping our local businesses in this way, we get a double benefit. People are employed and trained, and the businesses can use the money to help grow."
Golden Renewable, a Yonkers recycling company participated in a similar grant last year and received $85,000 in reimbursement for hiring and training 10 new employees.
Jason Provost, president and CEO, said of the program: "This program has turned out to be exactly as advertised. We had made a huge investment in the start-up company and welcomed the thought of recouping some money to help the business get off the ground. The new workers completed the training and we received the 50 percent wage reimbursement, which has will helped us hire and train more workers than we could have afforded to do on our own."
For additional information on this and similar programs or to apply, businesses may contact Bob Fois at (914) 995-4976 or Milton David at (914) 995-8631 or Walter Recher at (914) 761-7111 x 324 or apply on line at www.westchesterputnamonestop.com.
Please note that all participating employers must hire through the local One-Stop Employment Centers.