SANTA FE, N.M. – The New Mexico Economic Development Department has awarded $1.7 million to assist with job training for 150 workers at 12 companies statewide.
The awards under the Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP) were made at the May 10 meeting of the JTIP Board in Santa Fe. The businesses receiving grants are in Albuquerque, Questa, Red River, Loving, Santa Teresa and Berino.
The new jobs are in the areas of manufacturing, engineering, solar installation, claims adjustment, financial oversight, project management, forklift and construction operations. The work of electricians, technicians and interns will also be supported.
The wages for the jobs under the JTIP training grants range from $14 to $40 an hour with a statewide average of $21.70.
JTIP is one of the most generous training incentive programs in the country, reimbursing 50 percent to 75 percent of employee wages for classroom and on-the-job training in new jobs for up to 6 months.
“New Mexico’s job training program remains a powerful tool for businesses that want to grow and expand,” said Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes of the Economic Development Department. “We are grateful to the Legislature for supporting this program and hope to use this money to diversify our economy and create jobs in all corners of the state.”
Four of the companies that qualified for assistance were from the alternative energy sector. Those awards were made to:
Affordable Solar Inc. of Albuquerque, a company that has installed over 2,500 projects in the state, was awarded $218,420 for 22 new trainee positions from engineers to electricians and installers at a wage of $18 to $33 an hour.
Solar Works Energy LLC of Albuquerque, a solar installation company, was awarded almost $80,000 for seven jobs including a PV installer, project manager and electrician at an average wage of $25.27.
NM Solar Group LLC, of Berino, which serves the residential solar market, was awarded $25,000 for one trainee position with a wage of $30 an hour.
KiloNewton LLC of Albuquerque, a technical and engineering analysis firm for the renewable energy industry, was approved for three employees at an average wage of $34.86 and one intern, at $17.50 an hour. The total award was $66,000.
The other companies receiving job training awards are:
Taos Mountain Energy Foods, now headquartered in Questa, N.M. manufactures and sells six flavors of Taos Mountain Energy Bars, was awarded $285,000 for 35 trainees including 10 production workers, at an average wage of $15.40.
3D Glass Solutions Inc. of Albuquerque, a manufacturer focused on photo-definable glass ceramics. The company was approved for $151,000 to train nine employees with an average wage of $33.50.
Banyan Botanicals, an Albuquerque manufacturer with a catalog and online business for the Ayurveda lifestyle, was approved for $71,000 and five trainees at an average wage of $29.45 an hour. The positions include a director of operations, shipping specialist, and a research and development director.
Century Automotive Service Corp., a third-party administrator for fleet vehicles, insurers and dealerships was approved for $117,803 for eight jobs with an average hourly wage of $27.67, including program managers and claims adjusters.
Indica Labs Inc.of Corrales, a digital pathology company was approved for $168,735 for eight jobs and $13,000 for two interns. The average wage for the employees, which includes software engineers, is $35.60, while the intern wage is $20.19.
Red River Brewing Co., was awarded $21,160 for two new trainees with an average wage of $14. The company is the only full-service brewery in Red River.
Sendero Midstream Partners of Loving, which builds natural gas infrastructure in the Loving, N.M. area, was approved for $187,490 for six new job trainees with an average wage of $40.20.
One company Universal Sheets LLC, a manufacturer of corrugated sheets in Santa Teresa, N.M. received $308,000 for 41 new jobs. This was a reauthorization of previously approved funds for jobs that were not created within the approved hiring period due to shipment delays of production equipment.
JTIP dollars are reimbursed to businesses after employee training is completed and reporting requirements are certified by the Economic Development Department.
The Legislature created JTIP, formerly known as the Industrial Development Training Program, or “in plant training,” in 1972. Since then, JTIP has supported the creation of more than 46,000 jobs for New Mexicans in nearly 1,500 businesses across the state.
Eligibility for JTIP funds depends on the company’s business, the role of the new jobs in that business, and the trainees themselves. JTIP eligibility guidelines can be found on the EDD website.
The Economic Development Department has $10 million in JTIP to award for fiscal year 2020.
The JTIP Board meets monthly to consider proposals & amendments from companies. To learn more about JTIP and other EDD programs, visit http://gonm.biz.