By Staff
LANSING - Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm announced the launch of a new Urban Training Program in Benton Harbor with the goal of creating private investment and good-paying jobs for unskilled workers in the Berrien County community.
Michigan Economic Development Corp. approved funding for Benton Charter Township to provide on-the-job training for new hires of ACE Companies LLC.
ACE will invest $1.2 million to expand its operations and hire 26 new, unskilled residents of Benton Harbor.
"This collaboration with ACE enables us to provide training that will make a huge difference in the lives of these Benton Harbor workers," Granholm said.
The township will use $260,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant funding to reimburse Ace Companies, a recycling firm, for the cost of up to six months of training for the 26 new workers.
The program requires the company to hire unskilled residents of Benton Harbor and Benton Charter Township.
The new program may be made available to qualified urban communities statewide in coming months.
In addition to the support Ace has received from the state, it also received local assistance from Cornerstone Alliance, the area's economic development organization.
The Renaissance Development Fund, the financing affiliate of Cornerstone Alliance, is providing a $90,000 loan to Ace Metals for business operations.
A portion of a USDA Rural Enterprise Grant will help fund the loan.