Workforce

Skills Enhancement Fund

 

Description

The Skills Enhancement Fund (SEF) provides financial assistance to businesses committed to training their Indiana workforce by offering grants that reimburse a portion of a company’s eligible training costs over a two-year term. Each SEF application is evaluated on its merits, and companies may reapply for additional SEF funds after their initial grant is successfully completed. The SEF Program is established under IC 5-28-7

Eligible Companies

  • Manufacturing Companies
  • Distribution/Logistics Providers
  • Headquarters and other businesses that can demonstrate that a significant portion of their local revenue stems from transactions with out-of-state entities. Note: Companies conducting business within one of the industry initiatives identified at www.AccelerateIndiana.com will be given higher priority.

Other Eligibility Requirements:
  • Company is in good standing with all state regulatory agencies
  • Company is making a capital investment in addition to employee training costs
  • Company will commit to continue operations and maintain employment levels where the SEF training assistance is provided for at least five years after the training grant is completed
  • Company is not a retail establishment, a non-profit entity, or engaged in business that is otherwise prohibited
  • Trainees must be Indiana residents who are full-time and permanent employees of the company (i.e., 35 hours or more per week and non-temporary)

Financial Assistance and Training Parameters:

The maximum amount awarded through the SEF program will typically not exceed 50 percent of a company’s training budget; the actual approved amount may be less than 50 percent.

  • Most types of training are eligible except safety, HR/benefits orientation, and training required by law (e.g., Commercial Driver’s License). 
  • Training expenses eligible for reimbursement include instruction, travel, and material and supply costs.
  • Tavel costs are limited to lodging and transportation expenses only (no food) and cannot exceed 30 percent of the total grant.
  • Trainee wages are not an eligible training expense, although the wages paid to a staff trainer/instructor can be an eligible expense.

Evaluation Criteria:

  • Capital investment being made by the company
  • Number of workers to be trained (both new and existing) and average wage levels
  • Quality and cost of the training program
  • Importance of the project to Indiana’s strategic future
  • Economic need of the affected community

Centralizing and augmenting operations here allows us to capture the benefits of low-cost living, exceptional higher education, and economic incentives to pass along more value to our customers. Geographically, logistically and economically, Indiana makes sense.

- Greg Ranger, president and chief executive officer, TriMedx