State Rep. Paul Davis (D-Milford/Orange/West Haven) recently welcomed the announcement that a new state jobs program called “STEP UP,” which provides subsidies and grants to help small businesses hire more people, has resulted in 65 new jobs at 45 state companies.
Another 135 residents are in the process of being hired through the program, which came out of the bipartisan jobs bill passed in October. One of those businesses getting state funds to hire and train a new employee is Orange Research, a small manufacturing company in Milford.
“I am pleased that Orange Research will benefit from the STEP UP program,” Davis said. “This is a productive investment by the state and helping a small business hire a single worker is a step in the right direction. The program creates jobs and boosts economic revival.”
The Subsidized Training & Employment Program (STEP UP) provides two types of hiring incentives – a scaled, six-month wage subsidy and a small manufacturer training grant that provides up to $12,500 over a six-month period. Qualified participants are typically residents who may have some of the necessary job qualifications but who still require on-the-job training to meet the needs of the company.
In total, STEP UP will provide $20 million in subsidies and training grants to help Connecticut small businesses hire more employees. Of the new jobs the program has helped create so far, positions include customer service representatives, machine operators, office assistants, carpenters, mechanics, equipment installers, shipping and receiving, fabricator, dispatch manager, tool grinders, help desk technicians and process engineers with hourly wages from $10 to $28.85.
To be eligible for either program, a company must employ less than 50 people and training must be provided at the business site. The new employee must be an unemployed jobseeker, and those hired under the wage subsidy program must meet certain income requirements and reside in specific municipalities, based on population or unemployment rates.