FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 8, 2009

Contact: Dan Aug
Phone: 631. 853.4018
Cell: 631. 885.0631

Levy: STEP Program Makes Thousands of State Grant Dollars Available to Suffolk Employers

County Executive Urges Companies to Apply Quickly for a Share of $4.6 Million in Worker Training Funds

Hauppauge, NY – Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy today announced the release of $4.6 million through a New York State Department of Labor grant for certain businesses to provide, or upgrade, technical skills training to employees who are required to perform a specific job or group of jobs.

To make sure that as many Suffolk employers and employees benefit from this program as possible, Levy is distributing informational material on the program to more than 5,000 employers across the county.

Known as the Skills Training & Education Program (STEP), the program will award individual businesses with up to $50,000 in a single year, subject to funding availability. An applicant may not receive more than a STEP program lifetime maximum of $100,000. Large businesses (those with 100 or more employees including both in-state and out-of-state workers) will be awarded up to 75 percent of the instruction costs and be required to contribute a 25 percent cash match toward the instruction costs.

“Now, more than ever, it is imperative to seek as much funding as possible for Suffolk’s working class,” Levy said. “With our economy in the midst of a recession and unemployment rates hitting new highs across the country, people are having a hard time simply getting by, let alone receiving more training and salary increases. The STEP program reflects an ongoing commitment by the county to stimulate economic growth and employee skills, even during difficult economic times.”

Levy reiterated that funds are limited, so it is important for employers to respond quickly. Application for funding is made on the Workforce New York web site at https://www.labor.state.ny.us/app/STEP/index.asp .