July 15, 2026 – Washington Co., Wi – Three employers in Washington County, WI, will receive a combined $514,206 in Wisconsin Fast Forward grants to train workers and strengthen the local workforce, according to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD). The DWD said, “Employers must meet all these minimum requirements to receive funding: 85 percent of the participants must complete training, 65 percent must gain employment, whether by hiring unemployed individuals or improving employment for underemployed workers, and 75 percent of incumbent trainees must receive pay raises.”
The grants support workforce training in manufacturing and information technology:
- Trade Tech Inc. in Hartford, WI – (Washington County) — $168,357 to train 72 current employees in information security requirements. The training will strengthen skills in protecting government-controlled information and support expanded work opportunities.
- Gehl Food LLC in Germantown, WI -(Washington County) — $281,534 to train 75 unemployed workers in employee safety, food safety, and machine operations. Participants will earn equipment certifications to improve advancement opportunities.
- Mayday Gearbox Repair in Slinger, Wi – (Washington County) — $64,315 to train four current workers and one unemployed trainee as gearbox repair technicians. Training includes power transmission, precision measurement, failure analysis, reassembly, and advanced diagnostics.
The grants are part of nearly $900,000 awarded statewide through the Wisconsin Fast Forward program to help employers train workers in high-demand industries.
The over $890,000 in Wisconsin Fast Forward grant awards will go to nine organizations across four workforce skills, including: customer service, health care, information technology and manufacturing.
