The College of the Canyons Employee Training Institute (ETI) has received $749,760 from the Employment Training Panel (ETP) to provide local companies with customized training programs that will include industry-recognized certifications, new skills and opportunities for employees to take their skills to the next level.

It is the 15th and largest contract of its kind awarded to the college, which amounts to nearly $7 million in ETP funding since 1996.

“This latest ETP contract focuses on retraining incumbent workers from large and small employers in the Santa Clarita Valley and surrounding region,” said John Milburn, executive director of the college’s ETI. “Demand for customized training programs continues to grow as employers experience difficulty maintaining their competitive edge with rapid advances in technology and a rising number of competitors from other states and overseas, making it difficult to recruit, train, and retain a skilled workforce.”

Created in 1982 by the California legislature, the ETP program helps to ensure that California businesses will have the skilled workers they need to remain competitive. It is a performance-based reimbursement program and participating companies are subject to eligibility requirements.

“College of the Canyons provides numerous resources to help keep businesses competitive, retain talent, and increase efficiencies,” said Justin Wallace, director of educational partnerships at the college. “ETP-funded training programs are just one of the many ways businesses can partner with the college.”

ETP prioritizes industries most vital to California’s economic growth and recovery, including manufacturing, construction, green/clean technology, biotechnology, information technology services, and transportation logistics.

For more information about ETP funding and the Employee Training Institute at College of the Canyons, please visit the ETI website.