Connecticut’s hiring stimulus program has generated 65 new jobs among the 45 small business participants so far, authorities say.
An additional 135 residents are in the process of being hired under the Subsidized Training & Employment Program (STEP UP) created last fall, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced Tuesday.
STEP UP provides two types of hiring incentives — a scaled, six month wage subsidy and a small manufacturer training grant that provides up to $12,500 over a six-month period.
Qualified participants are typically residents who may have some of the necessary job qualifications but who still require on-the-job training to meet the needs of the company.
In total, STEP UP will provide $20 million in subsidies and training grants to help the state’s small businesses hire more employees.
Of the new jobs the program has helped create so far, the governor said, positions include customer service representatives, machine operators, office assistants, carpenters, mechanics, equipment installers, shipping and receiving, fabricator, dispatch manager, tool grinders, help desk technicians and process engineers with hourly wages from $10 to $28.85.