FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 25, 2008 CONTACT:
Shari Little 916/327-5261
 slittle@etp.ca.gov

Employment Training Panel Awards Almost $7 Million

To Train 6,738 California Workers

SACRAMENTO – Nearly $7 million in job-training funds was approved by the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency’s Employment Training Panel (ETP) to prepare 6,738 California workers for quality positions in expanding industries.

The Panel funded training projects for a myriad of industries from construction and manufacturing to green technology companies. Training provided through ETP contracts will result in a more qualified and competitive workforce for California employers and increased wages and job security for the State’s workers.

"The Employment Training Panel is one of the State’s leading economic development resources” said ETP Executive Director Brian McMahon. “Through its job training contracts, ETP will continue to promote Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s efforts in supporting all sectors of California’s diverse economy.”

Although the Panel’s contract approvals are effective immediately upon contract execution, and training may begin, no performance payments may be made on these contracts until a 2008-2009 State Budget is enacted.

ETP is a business and labor supported state agency that assists employers in strengthening their competitive edge by providing funds to partially off-set the costs of job skills training that is necessary to maintain high-performance workplaces. California’s ETP is a performance-based program, providing funds for trainees who successfully complete approved training programs and are retained in well-paying jobs for a specific period of time.

The program is funded by the Employment Training Tax paid by California employers, and targets firms threatened by out-of-state and international competition. Since its inception in 1983, the ETP program has provided over $1 billion to train more than 800,000 workers in over 70,000 California companies. Employers match training funds awarded through ETP contracts, making these projects true public-private partnerships.

To view copies of the proposals considered by the Panel at its most recent meeting, visit the ETP website at http://www.etp.ca.gov/packets.cfm. For more information about the ETP program, please visit www.etp.ca.gov, or call 916-327-5261.

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