NM: State Awards Job Training Funds to Support Up to 122 New Mexico Employees | Trade and Industry Development

NM: State Awards Job Training Funds to Support Up to 122 New Mexico Employees

Dec 23, 2024

For the final month of 2024, the Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP) board approved $2.2 million in reimbursement funds to support up to 122 trainees and interns, announced the New Mexico Economic Development (EDD) Cabinet Secretary-Designate Rob Black.

Each month the JTIP board convenes to review applications from businesses looking to expand operations by training new employees or provide training for promotions to incumbent workers.

In the 2024 calendar year, JTIP approved training funds for 1,467 full-time positions and 30 interns. During this time, Step Up funding offered businesses assistance in training 177 employees, giving them opportunities for promotion from within.

“JTIP is a vital tool for businesses who seek to grow their workforce or upskill existing employees in New Mexico,” Secretary-Designate Black said. “Eighty-four businesses benefitted from JTIP assistance in 2024, supporting high-paying jobs in key industry sectors throughout the state.”

"To date, more than 75 of our new employees have participated in training supported by the JTIP program. This initiative has not only created new, high-quality jobs but also provided an opportunity for local workers to gain specialized life-long trade skills," Renee Heath, senior HR director at Arcosa Wind Towers said. "Arcosa’s involvement in the JTIP program has not only been beneficial to Arcosa but also has had a broader positive impact on the local community by providing the economic stability supported by well-paying jobs."

The December JTIP awards went to the following companies:

AerSale, Inc., Roswell, 32 trainees at an average wage of $24 and 5 interns at an average wage of $20. Award: $564,904.

AerSale provides services in support of the aviation industry with a focus on the maintenance and modification of narrow-body and wide-body aircraft. The business has implemented an on-site apprenticeship program that includes extensive classroom and hands-on training and will offer scholarships for those who complete the program.

Arcosa Wind Towers, Belen, 42 trainees at an average wage of $23. Award: $520,511.

Arcosa is a provider of infrastructure-related products and solutions in construction, energy, and transportation markets. Arcosa fabricates wind turbine manufacturers’ designs or works with its customers in the design and fabrication of towers that meet the specific criteria of the turbine and project location.

BlackVe, Inc., Albuquerque, 15 trainees at an average wage of $61. Award: $525,208.

BlackVe is a national security-focused space company applying cutting-edge design, manufacturing, and production technologies to the process of designing, manufacturing, and operating satellites.

Broken Arrow Glass Recycling, Cuyamungue, 3 trainees at an average wage of $30. Award: $60,513.

Broken Arrow Glass Recycling (BAGR) is a creative glass recycling studio providing residential curbside glass collection services in the Santa Fe and Taos areas. The glass recycling is processed into handblown glass art and crushed glass material that can be used for flood diversion, erosion control, landscaping, eco-construction material, terrazzo, raw art material, and more.

Century Sign Builders, Albuquerque, 1 trainee at a wage of $49. Award: $29,438.

Century Sign Builders designs, manufactures, and installs interior and exterior signage nationwide, handling signage from design to installation and guaranteeing its work for the life of the building. Customers include architects, interior designers, builders, sign shops, and more.

Gridworks, Inc., Albuquerque, Step Up award: $17,715.

Gridworks provides turnkey solar and energy storage solutions for developers and utility clients through engineering, procurement, construction (EPC), and operations and maintenance (O&M). The company’s proprietary technologies streamline the EPC process, saving time and money.

Kairos Power LLC, Albuquerque, 10 trainees at an average wage of $60. Award: $344,378.

Kairos Power is an advanced energy technology and engineering company launched out of a broad research effort at U.S. universities and national laboratories. The company is focused on the development of clean, innovative nuclear technology.

Knight Scientific Systems, LLC, Albuquerque, 2 trainees at an average wage of $43 and 2 interns at an average wage of $34. Award: $85,677.

Knight Scientific Systems is developing multi-spectral Object Detection (OD) tools to bring the power of machine learning to all imaging wavebands. The most interesting target market is drone-based imaging and 3D reconstruction. Knight provides expert engineering services to the Department of Defense, specializing in systems engineering and software development.

Mindscape Ventures, LLC, Hobbs, 10 trainees at an average wage of $17. Award: $77,673.

Mindscape Venture offers a diverse selection of high-quality cannabis products. The company's mission is to provide high-quality products while fostering a welcoming environment. This is Mindscape Ventures’ first JTIP application.

Learn more about the New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Job Training Incentive Program at edd.newmexico.gov/JTIP.

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