Superior receives funds for technical training

Superior, Wis. - Workforce and economic development efforts here are taking shape with the aid of a technical-training grant for area workers.

The state is giving Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College a workforce training grant worth $152,175 to work with local businesses. With the grant, northern Wisconsin companies will have opportunities to improve the skills of their workers in industrial maintenance, electrical, supervisory management, and computers.

Gov. Jim Doyle said the grants are designed to help the companies compete in the global economy, not just the regional or national economy. "In today's global economy, the competition is across the ocean, not just across the country or state lines," he said.

The money is part of $2 million in workforce advancement training grants set aside in the state budget for the Wisconsin Technical College System. The grants that will be used to train 1,700 workers throughout the state.

"Upgrading the knowledge and skills of individuals who are already on the job is key to keeping Wisconsin businesses and residents productive and prosperous," said Dan Clancy, president of the WTCS. "The technical colleges are really excited to have this new opportunity, which goes a long way toward our mission of maintaining a globally competitive workforce." Training breakdown

The grant award will distribute subsidized training for the employees of the following companies:

• $14,210 for the Superior-based CLM Corp.

• $12,854 for Superior Lidgerwood-Mundy Corp., a manufacturer of hoisting and marine-deck equipment.

• $41,457 for Osceola-based Northwire, a custom wire and cable products manufacturing company.

• $19,817 for San Jose-based Sanmina-SCI, a producer of complex printed circuit board assemblies, custom-designed backplanes, electronic enclosure systems, and cabling and wiring harnesses. The company has facilities in Turtle Lake and Kenosha.

• $11,707 for Superior-based Charter Films, a manufacturer of plastic films specializing in blown film extrusion.

• $27,452 for Bernick's, a vending and food-service company with a plant in Dresser.

• $24,678 for River Falls-based QMR Plastics, a producer of thermoplastics.

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