The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development awarded $890,000 in worker training grant awards through the Wisconsin Fast Forward Program to assist organizations in training more than 340 workers in healthcare, customer service, technology, and manufacturing.
The Wisconsin Fast Forward grants will reimburse the costs of customized occupational training for unemployed, underemployed, and current workers. Grants ranging from $5,000 to $400,000 can cover training that qualifies workers for full-time positions, higher-level roles, or increased wages.
DWD’s Office of Skills Development awarded more than $5.2 million in Fast Forward grants to train an estimated 2,847 people in state fiscal year 2026.
Northeast Wisconsin organizations that received funds are:
- Appleton 955 LLC, Outagamie County | $36,000
Partnering with An Embrace of Learning, Appleton 955 LLC will train 12 current workers employed as nursing assistants at six locations. Training will provide structured skills in behavioral intervention, staged escalation recognition, trauma-informed communication, and post-incident documentation. - Life Point Counseling LLC, Sheboygan County | $193,635
Life Point Counseling LLC will train 12 unemployed or underemployed trainees and 20 incumbent workers through four pipelines: pre-graduate interns, pre-licensure clinicians, licensed clinicians seeking advanced certifications, and clinical supervisors. The training will support job placement and increased wages, and expand services while reducing wait times and increasing local care.
