What is considered “Training” for the purpose of this Grant?

An Advance Manufacturing Technology Training Grant takes a very broad view of training. Training can include mentoring or participation in an Advanced Manufacturing project where knowledge passes from one person to another. Research that is done in most universities and Federal labs can be considered as “training” when the research is applied to an Advanced Manufacturing Project.

Who can participate?

Companies statewide will be served.  We will take a very broad view of what is considered an Advanced Manufacturing firm including software producers and other related companies.  As long as a company can find any manufacturing related code to classify under for the NIST survey, we will serve them.  Trainees within the firms are limited to the 23 H-1B occupations listed below.  Others may attend the classes as long as there is no per head charge.

What else makes a company eligible for participation?

Company should recognize their need for a technological product or process "breakthrough" in order to maintain or achieve dominance in their market space. The company must also be willing to “team” and invest now to achieve this breakthrough.

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Company should have invested in R&D in the past three years and have a current R&D budget.

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Company should have demonstrated investments in workforce training over the past three years and still have requirements for additional skill development.

What is the Service Delivery Strategy?

The strategy begins with a Technology Roadmap Assessment that clearly identifies the type of Training (which can include technology transfer and/or commercialization) needed by the company.  Subject matter experts are joined with companies when appropriate to provide the training, and businesses are linked to a variety of funding sources for identified training.  After the training is completed an evaluation is conducted to understand the impact upon the company’s productivity and their competitiveness in the marketplace. 

What are the Match Requirements?

A dollar for dollar cash match is required for each federal dollar. In addition, we are collecting documentation of trainee wages over and above this cash match. The completion of formal documents by employers is required for participation in the program.

What is the Timeframe?

The program began in April 2004 and will end January, 2007.  All training must be completed by January 2007.

How much is available?

Florida has just over $918,000 in training funds and is expected to collect an equal amount from the cash match for a total of $1.84M. The amount of grant funds available and matching funds required of each prospective participant company will be determined during the Technology Roadmap Assessment.

Who are the Grant Partners?

Brevard Workforce Development Board, Inc.:  Grantee, Fiscal Agent
 

Florida Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Florida MEP):  Responsible for all Grant Operations, Client Recruitment, Funds Disbursements, and Service Delivery

Technological Research and Development Authority (TRDA):  Working with Florida MEP to recruit Clients and assist in maintaining a TTRL (Technology Training Resource Locator) reference database

Educational/Research Partners:

Kennedy Space Center

University of Central Florida

University of South Florida

Sandia National Laboratory

Other National Laboratories (Los Alamos, NIST)

Who do I contact for more information? 

Christy Lewis
H1B Marketing Representative
 

Technological Research & Development Authority
5195 South Washington Avenue
Titusville, FL 32780

Phone: 321.269.6330
Fax: 321.383.5260

clewis@trda.org