Funds To Help Company Improve Workforce

Funds To Help Company Improve Workforce
By Ines Bebea

FAIRFIELD - Macro Plastics Inc., a plastic bins manufacturer, was recently awarded a $51,480 contract by the state's Employment Training Fund, which is intended to help manufacturing companies train employees in new technologies and stay competitive in their respective industries.

In July, the Employment Training Panel awarded more than $9.7 million in contracts to 10,741 California workers.

"Most of our contracts go to companies that have out-of-state competition in their industry," said Charles Lundberg, economic development director for the Employment Training Panel. "Our contracts allow companies who don't have a training budget to offer their employees job training. The goal is to help companies stay in California, to grow and to continue to be competitive."

The Employment Training Panel is funded by a tax from for-profit employers, said Lundberg, and the commission meets every month to vote on training proposals. The contract is awarded after each employee has successfully completed the training.

For Bob Kerin, human resources director for Macro Plastic, the contract was great news for a company that trains its employees on a monthly basis. The company has been in Fairfield for 17 years and employees 40 people. Macro Plastics also has an office in Union Gap, Wash.

"For our technical training, we send our employees about once a month to Solano Community College," Kerin said.

Macro Plastic manufactures injection-molded plastic bins that are used for harvesting, shipping and storing fruits, vegetables and other commodities.

"We heard about the program from the city of Fairfield, and we feel pretty good that it will allows us to continue with our training," Kerin said.

As part of the city's business retention program, Charles Ching - the city's economic development specialist - tries to met with every business owner to hear their concerns and offer assistance whenever possible. In the case of Macro Plastics, it was a simple conversation about the companies' continual employee training and its cost.

"A lot of businesses have no interaction with city," Ching said. "We made a commitment to visit businesses this year, inquire about their needs and how the city could help in keeping them here."

Reach Ines Bebea at 427-6934 or ibebea@dailyrepublic.net.

For more information
Charles Lundberg
Economic Development Director
Employment Training Panel
(916) 327-5261
clundberg@etp.ca.gov