Cape & Islands WIB uses Strategic Advantage for successful training grant
The Cape Cod, Massachusetts economy is primarily driven by small businesses in the hospitality and retail sectors. Many of these businesses are sole proprietors, and 90% have fewer than 20 people. This creates a unique labor market and workforce environment, according to David Augustinho, Executive Director at Cape and Islands Workforce Investment Board.
Augustinho found that most small businesses in his area promote their employees from associates to managers with little or no training. Because of the relatively small size of the businesses, they do not have the resources to provide the kind of customized management training programs not normally found in areas dominated by larger companies. To help fill this resource gap, Augustinho applied for and won a $500,000 grant for cross-sector management training from the Massachusetts Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund. Though the Fund is primarily aimed at sector-specific training programs, Augustinho successfully argued that a cross-sector management training program would provide significant returns to small business owners.
Read the full case study (PDF): Cape & Islands WIB Uses Strategic Advantage to Win Training Grant
