Bank of Luxemburg receives state of Wisconsin grant for worker training

MADISON – Bank of Luxemburg is one of 24 businesses in Wisconsin receiving a state grant for a training program that could lead employees to higher wages.

The bank was awarded $26,200 from the Wisconsin Fast Forward grant program offered annually by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. It will use the funds to provide 29 hours of leadership skills training by the Initiative One Leadership Institute to six current staff members, who will receive 16.8 continuing education units through the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay when they finish training and could receive a wage increase of $1.50 per hour or more.

Overall, the Fast Forward program awarded more than $3.8 million to its 24 recipients this year, with individual amounts ranging from $5,000 to $400,000. All projects require a 50% cash or in-kind employer match, and the training must provide skills that are transferrable to the job.

The minimum requirements for a business to receive funding are that 85% of the participants must complete training, 65% must gain employment (hiring unemployed trainees or promoting underemployed ones), and 75% of trainees who are current employees receive pay raises.

The grants are expected to support worker training programs for up to 1,415 trainees, including unemployed and underemployed people as well as current employees. The businesses receiving grants are involved in education, financial services, health care, information technology, manufacturing and production, and transportation.

For more on the Wisconsin Fast Forward program, visit wisconsinfastforward.com.

Established in 1903 and based in the village of Luxemburg, Bank of Luxemburg has Kewaunee County locations in Luxemburg, Casco, Algoma and Kewaunee; Brown County locations in Green Bay, Dyckesville and Howard; and Door County branches in Sturgeon Bay and Fish Creek. It also has an ITM (interactive teller machine) at Stodola's IGA grocery store in Luxemburg, along with ITMs in Fish Creek and Howard. For more information, visit bankofluxemburg.com.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Bank of Luxemburg receives state of Wisconsin grant for worker training