The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development awarded $6.6 million in grants to 84 employers to train 3,823 Wisconsin workers through the Wisconsin Training for Resilient Advanced Industry Needs (WisTRAIN) employer grant program.
WisTRAIN program is supported by federal funding to help deliver employer-driven, occupational skills training focused on advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence.
Projects will train workers for the future by addressing industry shifts resulting from technological advances, expanding access to industry-recognized credentials, supporting digital equity and literacy, and increasing employer-education partnerships. The projects will also ensure that employers remain competitive as the economy and workplaces adapt to new technologies. More information on the WisTRAIN employer grant program can be found on DWD’s WisTRAIN webpage.
Grants have been offered to the following Northeast Wisconsin organizations:
Georgia-Pacific LLC, Sheboygan County | $39,600: Training two incumbent and four new maintenance technicians in digital documentation and knowledge management, AI-powered knowledge platforms, and structured troubleshooting methodologies in partnership with Lakeshore Technical College.
Old World Creamery LLC, Sheboygan County | $38,080: Training 25 incumbent and three new employees to serve as on-site experts and technology champions supporting digital manufacturing tools, automation troubleshooting, and food-safety compliance.
Sargento Cheese Inc., Sheboygan County | $312,699: On-the-job training for 126 incumbent workers using vendor trainers and experts as it relocates manufacturing to a new 384,000-square-foot facility with new integrated equipment and enhanced ergonomics.
Brakebush Brothers Inc., Marquette County | $39,600: Training six incumbent IT security employees in generative AI and large language model security through the SANS Institute.
Weyauwega Cheese LLC, Dane County | $38,184: Training 30 incumbent and 13 new employees as on-site experts and technology champions in digital operations, automation, and process cheese manufacturing, including preventive controls qualified individual certification and a cheesemaking short course.
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County | $327,360: Training 52 incumbent employees and 10 new hires in partnership to build skills in data literacy, digital workflow improvement, responsible AI use, and change management.
Element Creative LLC, Brown County | $7,999: Training for 34 employees in data-informed decision-making, process definition, technology evaluation, and responsible AI adoption.
Fincantieri Marine Group LLC, Brown County | $232,788: Training welders–66 incumbent and 16 new hires–to operate, program, and work with collaborative robotic welding systems (cobots) adapted for U.S. shipyard production.
FZE Manufacturing Solutions LLC, Fond du Lac County | $13,200: Training two incumbent machinists in automation with cobots and robots, CNC machining programming, CAD/CAM systems, blueprint interpretation, and process development delivered through on-the-job instruction and mentoring by two experienced engineering employees.
Hatco Corporation, Door County | $17,600: Demand flow technology training to 18 incumbent workers, a hands-on, instructor-led program teaching supervisors, engineers, and production support staff how to design and manage production lines based on customer demand.
Mercury Marine, Fond du Lac County | $330,000: Training 1,204 incumbent and 65 new employees at its Fond du Lac locations through a tiered AI certification journey, from AI explorer to navigator, champion, and catalyst.
New-Cell LLC (Nsight), Brown County | $262,800
Training 67 incumbent and six new employees through the gener8tor generative AI skilling program in foundational AI literacy, tool proficiency, and an employer-specific capstone deliverable.
Port City Bakery Inc., Brown County | $80,000: Training 40 incumbent employees at four Green Bay-area plants, with 32 operators, line leads, and maintenance technicians and eight plant leaders on security, reading line data, converting flagged issues into work orders, documenting troubleshooting knowledge, and evaluating AI use cases.
Winsert LLC, Marinette County | $188,480: Training 75 incumbent and 25 new employees across the company in skilled trades development, AI literacy, robotics and automation, digital twins, cybersecurity, and leadership development.
Consortium: Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance Inc.: Training 111 incumbent workers at 20 manufacturers through hands-on AI implementation training, change-management training, and a technical college-based predictive maintenance course:
- ALWIN Manufacturing Co. Inc., Brown County: $2,400 for three workers
- Cherry Optical Inc., Brown County: $6,400 for nine workers
- Cruisers Yachts, Oconto County: $3,200 for four workers
- DuxxBak Composite Decking, Brown County: $5,600 for seven workers
- Encapsys LLC, Outagamie County: $600 for one worker
- Fincantieri Marine Group LLC, Brown County: $9,600 for 12 workers
- Graetz Manufacturing Inc., Marinette County: $1,400 for two workers
- Great Northern Corporation, Winnebago County: $2,400 for three workers
- H.G. Weber & Company Inc., Manitowoc County: $5,200 for seven workers
- Hatco Corporation, Door County: $2,800 for four workers
- KI, Brown County: $7,600 for 10 workers
- Luvata Appleton LLC, Outagamie County: $6,400 for eight workers
- Marion Body Works Inc., Outagamie County: $7,800 for 10 workers
- Nicolet Plastics LLC, Brown County: $6,200 for eight workers
- Ornua Ingredients LLC, Calumet County: $1,600 for two workers
- Seaway Printing Company Inc., Brown County: $2,400 for three workers
- Services Plus Inc., Brown County: $2,400 for three workers
- Village Associates Inc., Brown County: $2,600 for four workers
- W.E. Hoban Company, Brown County: $1,400 for two workers
- Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry Company Inc., Manitowoc County: $6,400 for nine workers
Wisconsin is one of 14 states that received an Industry-Driven Skills Training Fund grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to prepare workers for jobs in high-demand and emerging industries.
