Explore resources to plan your training strategies and prepare for future workforce needs.
A workforce with up-to-date, relevant skills and knowledge is a major factor in a business' success. The public workforce system recognizes the importance of training with a variety of resources and funding opportunities to upskill employees, design curriculum, and incentivize training and retention for special groups.
Explore these resources to plan your training strategies and prepare for future workforce needs:
On-the-Job Training (OJT) is a federal program that provides an incentive to hire workers who may have been laid off, underemployed, need skill upgrades, or have other barriers to employment. Employers receive reimbursement of approximately 50% of new hires’ wages for up to 6 months.
Hiring must be for permanent, full-time, livable wage jobs, with training that is above and beyond the minimum needed for new hires. There is no cost to employers, however, they must meet certain criteria to participate.
How to get started:
- Contact staff at your local American Job Center to determine your organization's eligibility.
- If eligible, you’ll sign a contract covering terms of the agreement, including positions to be trained, wages, and reimbursement.
- An OJT specialist will refer potential OJT candidates and help you fine-tune your training plan.
- Targeted candidates include dislocated workers, low-income adults, veterans, and youth ages 16-24. You’ll make all hiring decisions.
Registered Apprenticeship pays businesses to develop and prepare their future workforce. It's a training model that can be designed to meet the needs of businesses from any industry.
How does Apprenticeship work?
- To establish a registered apprenticeship, an organization defines the skills, knowledge, and standards required for a specific role.
- They partner with a local technical college, union, or other training provider to create a training plan for the position.
- State or federal apprenticeship agencies review the training plan to ensure it meets standards and qualifies for public funding.
- Hiring apprenticeship candidates from local schools and programs is encouraged.
Apprentices are hired as full-time employees, but are paid a reduced starting wage. They work under your experienced employees, and complete their training on the job.
Employers receive up to $6,000 per apprentice from the federal program. Many states offer an additional $1,000 - $5,000 per apprentice in direct state tax credits.
Many of the nation’s most recognizable companies—such as Microsoft, Amazon, CVS Pharmacy, and UPS—offer apprenticeship programs.
Visit Apprenticeship.gov to learn more about establishing a registered apprenticeship.
You may not have to look far for high-quality employee training. Local technical and community colleges typically offer a wide variety of options, including courses specifically designed for professional certification. They generally offer customized training tailored to a business’ needs, or publicly-available continuing education.
- Customized training. Workforce training consultants from the college meet with you to discuss your needs, develop curriculum, and deliver instruction at your site using your equipment. Training could range from OSHA compliance to first aid, cybersecurity or CNC programming to supervisor training, and more.
- Continuing education. CE courses are generally prescheduled, on-campus or online, and open to the public. Course offerings reflect local demand but typically include popular topics such as AI and software training, leadership, and communications courses. Check school websites for class schedules.
Search CareerOneStop's Local Training Finder for college contact information to explore customized training, or for training programs currently available in your area.
Small Business Development Centers offer free, confidential business advising and training classes for business owners. Services reflect the needs of their local business community, but generally include assistance with:
- business plans
- finances, accounting, and loan packaging
- regulatory compliance
- digital security
- market research and advertising
- logistics and supply chain
SBDC services are available to all small business owners. There are more than 900 local SBDCs throughout the United States. The program is a collaboration of the U.S. Small Business Administration, state and local governments, and private sector funding resources. Learn more and find an SBDC near you.
To connect with public workforce training services, partnerships, and targeted funds from the U.S. Department of Labor, it’s important to know about two key connector hubs.
1) The American Job Center System
The U.S. Department of Labor's AJC Network of more than 2,400 locations is the primary gateway to the public workforce system. AJCs house dedicated Business Services Representatives who help employers access local talent, host job fairs and other hiring events, and access public training assets directly.
Business Services Reps can also help you connect with federal and state training funds. Administered under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), state agencies receive millions in annual funding to distribute directly to businesses. These state-level programs, such as Incumbent Worker Training Grants, often cover up to 90% of direct training costs to upskill current workers—including instructor wages, textbooks, and curriculum updates. Contact your local American Job Center to connect with a Business Services Representative to learn more.
2) Workforce Development Boards
State and local WDBs serve as connectors between the U.S. Department of Labor and the local American Job Centers that deliver services to workers and employers. The WDBs’ role is to develop regional strategic plans and set funding priorities for their area.
More than half of each WDB’s members must come from the business community. In addition, WDBs are required to have representation from local community colleges and other training providers, as well as elected officials and workforce program leaders. This ensures that current skill needs of local businesses are communicated to relevant training programs.
You can save training costs by connecting with other businesses in your area that have similar training needs. Workforce Development Boards (WDBs) facilitate these connections to maximize the productivity and success of businesses in their region.
