| 84 employers receive grants to help train workers within in-demand, fast-growing industries to bolster Wisconsin’s 21st-century workforce and economy |
| MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD), today kicked off Manufacturing Month by announcing $6.6 million in grants to 84 employers to train 3,823 Wisconsin workers through the Wisconsin Training for Resilient Advanced Industry Needs (WisTRAIN) employer grant program. As announced during Gov. Evers’ 2026 State of the State address, the new WisTRAIN program is supported by federal funding secured by the Evers Administration to help deliver employer-driven, occupational skills training focused on advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence (AI).
“Here in Wisconsin, we’re ensuring our state can continue to compete and be a leader in new and innovative industries, and a big part of that work is investing in workforce training to prepare our workforce for the future,” said Gov. Evers. “Making sure Wisconsin is prepared to create jobs for the future and meet the rapidly evolving needs of a 21st-century economy must be a top priority. I’m proud to get these funds out the door to help train Wisconsinites across the state in these in-demand, fast-growing industries.” Among the dozens of employers supported through WisTRAIN are an ice cream manufacturer in Dane County and a precision machining firm in Milwaukee County that will both train their employees to use advanced manufacturing equipment, as well as a marine engine manufacturer in Fond Du Lac County, a construction products company in Marathon County, and a consortium of Tribal-owned construction companies that will all upskill and train employees to integrate AI into their work. More information regarding the grants and awardees is available below. “We’re excited for the possibilities that these projects provide to Wisconsin employers and workers to gain new skills to succeed in emerging and high-demand industries like advanced manufacturing,” said DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek. “The WisTRAIN grants will boost our state’s economic competitiveness and help ensure all Wisconsin workers can benefit from a dynamic, growing economy.” WisTRAIN builds on the success of Gov. Evers’ Workforce Solutions Initiative, which, to date, has collectively served over 130,000 Wisconsinites across the state by supporting local and regional workforce training programs. The development of the WisTRAIN employer grant program also aligns with recommendations by the Governor’s Task Force on Workforce and Artificial Intelligence, which was created by Gov. Evers in 2023 to study how AI will transform business, education, and other key sectors of the state economy. Projects will train workers for the future by addressing industry shifts resulting from technological advances, expanding access to industry-recognized credentials, supporting digital equity and literacy, and increasing employer-education partnerships. These projects will also ensure that employers remain competitive as the economy and workplaces adapt to new technologies. More information on the WisTRAIN employer grant program can be found on DWD’s WisTRAIN webpage. Grants have been offered to the following organizations: Matenaer Corporation, Washington County | $239,008 Training 156 incumbent and four new employees to implement the Plex UX advanced smart manufacturing platform through a cascading train-the-trainer model.
MetalTek International Inc. Wisconsin Centrifugal Division, Waukesha County | $41,984 Training 60 incumbent and 20 new employees, including three youth apprentices, at its Wisconsin Centrifugal Division to use a new CNC training simulator and classroom lathe that align with real-world production equipment.
Microbial Discovery Group LLC, Milwaukee County | $168,000 Training 30 incumbent and five new employees in the fermentation, engineering, maintenance, and process-development teams in advanced fermentation operations, manufacturing analytics, AI-enabled manufacturing, manufacturing execution system, and project management.
Midwest Engineered Systems Inc., Waukesha County | $80,000 Training 40 incumbent employees across advanced manufacturing technologies, including robotics integration, digital twin development, predictive maintenance systems, and AI, including AI-assisted diagnostics, quality inspection, and process optimization. Adept Manufacturing and Gauging LLC, Milwaukee County | $33,000 Providing hands-on training to five new hires in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining, precision inspection, and supervised parts manufacturing.
ATACO Steel Products Corporation, Ozaukee County | $25,884 Training three incumbent welders in FANUC robotic welding programming and supporting one incumbent weld engineer to complete coursework toward an Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology-accredited bachelor’s degree in electronic systems engineering technology.
Automation Solutions LLC, Washington County | $16,880 Training three current employees in advanced software development covering modern software engineering practices, database technologies, cloud-connected systems, cybersecurity fundamentals, and industrial data integration.
Benz Metal Products Inc., Waukesha County | $168,477 Training 37 incumbent employees and three new hires across AI alignment, data analytics, continuous improvement, fabrication certification, machining and computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) training, and predictive maintenance and leadership. Chr. Hansen Inc., Waukesha County | $30,746 Training four incumbent employees and two new hires in electrical systems, motor controls, and industrial troubleshooting.
Cream City Cyber LLC, Milwaukee County | $79,200 Training three incumbent employees and nine new hires through a 12-week Forward Deployed Academy covering governance, risk and compliance, cloud security benchmarking, and AI-informed risk practices.
Develop America Inc., Milwaukee County | $13,200 Training for two incumbent employees in generative AI, prompt engineering, workflow automation, and responsible AI governance in partnership with AYR.
Dynamic Tool Corporation, Waukesha County | $330,000 Training for 52 incumbent employees and four new hires in advanced manufacturing technologies, CNC machining, precision measurement, automation, and workplace AI tools. Farris Automated Systems LLC, Waukesha County | $26,400 Robotics training for three controls engineers and a controls engineering manager, combining formal robotics courses, simulation-based training, and structured on-the-job training in programming, integration, troubleshooting, and commissioning.
Georgia-Pacific LLC, Sheboygan County | $39,600 Training two incumbent and four new maintenance technicians in digital documentation and knowledge management, AI-powered knowledge platforms, and structured troubleshooting methodologies in partnership with Lakeshore Technical College.
HellermannTyton Corporation, Milwaukee County | $180,000 Training 45 incumbent and five new employees through the gener8tor Skills Accelerator workforce development partnership in foundational AI literacy, tool proficiency, and an employer-specific capstone project.
Heraeus Electro-Nite Co. LLC, Waukesha County | $84,817 Training 50 incumbent and 15 new employees through a basic manufacturing operator program, with 46 production employees receiving training in industrial automation and robotics and 19 maintenance and technician workers receiving training in an advanced troubleshooting program. INNIO Jenbacher North America LLC, Waukesha County | $330,000 Training 20 incumbent and 50 new employees to launch a new manufacturing capability at its Waukesha facility. INNOFAB LLC, Milwaukee County | $13,200 Training two incumbent workers in quality control, metrology, process improvement, industrial controls, enterprise resource planning systems, data analytics, and AI-enabled productivity delivered through multiple Wisconsin-based education providers, including the University of Wisconsin (UW)-Milwaukee’s School of Continuing Education, Gateway Technical College, and Waukesha County Technical College. Jouett Holdings LLC, Kenosha County | $13,200 Training one incumbent and one new employee as AI business training specialists to build skills in AI foundations, generative AI tools, prompt engineering, workflow automation, and responsible AI use through hands-on labs and a capstone project.
Midwest Precision Molding Inc., Walworth County | $6,711 Two incumbent employees will take the Extrusion Master I Certification™ program through Systematic Extrusion, providing hands-on training in polymer sciences, extrusion processes, tooling, and scientific extrusion certifications. Miro Manufacturing Inc., Waukesha County | $102,240 Training 14 incumbent and eight new employees to apply AI to metal stamping, forming, welding, and machining automation, targeting operators, production management, and quality control through classroom, virtual, and hands-on sessions.
Old World Creamery LLC, Sheboygan County | $38,080 Training 25 incumbent and three new employees to serve as on-site experts and technology champions supporting digital manufacturing tools, automation troubleshooting, and food-safety compliance.
Palmer Hamilton LLC, Walworth County | $50,000 Occupational skills training for 25 incumbent employees in manufacturing data analysis, digital workflow improvement, automation awareness, process control, and industrial cybersecurity awareness.
Performance Coatings LLC, Waukesha County | $51,548 In-house training for eight incumbent and six new employees as the company incorporates robotic loading, unloading, and inspection systems on its hard coat production line. Pinewood Tool LLC, Waukesha County | $79,199 Training nine incumbent and three new employees in Fulcrum AI enterprise resource planning core proficiency, AI-enabled manufacturing and Mastercam computer-aided manufacturing training, and role-specific advanced machining and cross-training.
Professional Power Products Inc., Walworth County | $26,080 Training 18 incumbent and two new employees in generative AI, prompting, data analysis, and manufacturing applications such as inventory optimization and predictive maintenance through the UW’s AI Essentials Certificate and customized Waukesha County Technical College Applied AI Lab workshops.
Sargento Cheese Inc., Sheboygan County | $312,699 On-the-job training for 126 incumbent workers using vendor trainers and experts as it relocates manufacturing to a new 384,000-square-foot facility with new integrated equipment and enhanced ergonomics.
Wisconsin Dairy Distributing LLC, Dodge County | $38,080 Training 23 incumbent and five new employees as on-site experts and technology champions in digital manufacturing technologies, automation systems, process improvement, and PCQI-certified food-safety compliance at multiple facilities. Consortium: Develop America Inc. (Southeast and Northwest Regions) Training 22 incumbent workers at four Tribal-owned Wisconsin construction companies to integrate AI into estimating, business development, project planning, field operations, and business management, with specialized technical instruction from AYR:
Consortium: Two3 Solutions LLC, Waukesha County Structured professional development to 14 current employees in leadership, project management, sales effectiveness, customer service, workplace safety, and technology skills:
Badger Truck Refrigeration Inc., Eau Claire County | $95,679 Training 32 incumbent workers in predictive maintenance, digital dashboards, AI-assisted quality control, and lean digital workflows. Brakebush Brothers Inc., Marquette County | $39,600 Training six incumbent IT security employees in generative AI and large language model security through the SANS Institute.
Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Company Inc., Dane County | $72,800 Training 20 incumbent employees to support its rollout of the digital manufacturing systems Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform, and an ASU Online engineering degree for one employee.
DSG Outerwear LLC, Dane County | $66,000 Training for 10 incumbent employees in AI-driven tools for product design, 3D rendering, customer service, and content creation.
Graber Manufacturing Inc. (Madrax and Thomas Steele), Dane County | $151,035 Training 82 incumbent and 14 new hires in covering tube bending, robotic welding, powder coating certification, enterprise resource planning production management, predictive maintenance, and practical AI in partnership with Madison Area Technical College, UW-Madison, and HubSpot. Leer Inc., Juneau County | $62,669
Plastic Ingenuity Inc., Dane County | $28,850 Machining skills training for four incumbent and six new employees in partnership with Madison College, covering blueprint reading, precision metrology, CNC setup, G-code programming, and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, with a capstone project machining a finished part to print and tolerance.
Prent Corporation, Rock County | $90,972 Training 35 incumbent and seven new employees in robotics, digital twins, and responsible AI implementation, including advanced robotics training for engineers and a simulated digital twin environment where employees practice troubleshooting and programming without interrupting live production.
Quartz Health Solutions Inc., Dane County | $90,000 Training 25 incumbent employees through the gener8tor Generative AI Skilling program in foundational AI literacy, tool proficiency, and an organization-specific capstone project. |
Gov. Evers, DWD Announce $6.6 Million in New Grants to Train Over 3,800 Wisconsin Workers in Advanced Manufacturing and AI
Oct 14, 2026 | 8:13 AM
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