The Incumbent Workers Training Program (IWTP) was originally introduced in 1999; since that time Taylor-Made Concepts, Inc (TMC) has been an active participant in the program. In 2004, Taylor-Made became one of the first “private” training providers authorized by the Louisiana Department of Labor. To date, Taylor-Made has assisted Louisiana employers in utilizing over $600,000 in training grants through the Incumbent Worker’s Training program.

"We have reviewed the documentation submitted to support the training history of Taylor-Made ... and hereby approve your request to serve as a primary training provider on future Incumbent Worker Training Program (IWTP) contracts"

	Grant Writing Find it; write it; revise it until grant award is achieved. To date 100% grant approval rating.
	Needs Assessment A basic assessment of each department within the organization; usually conducted with department managers.
	Primary Provider Administration of all the grant documentation and funds; works directly with employer’s training vendors to include gathering quotes and scheduling training.
	Training and/or Content Instructor led Leadership, Sales and/or Teambuilding programs; content provider for employer training for instructor led or online.

About the Incumbent Worker Training Program (IWTP)

The Incumbent Worker Training Program (IWTP) is a partnership between the Louisiana Department of Labor (LDOL), business and industry, and training providers. The IWTP is designed to benefit business and industry by assisting in the skill development of existing employees and thereby increasing employee productivity and the growth of the company. These improvements are expected to result in the creation of new jobs, the retention of jobs that otherwise may have been eliminated, and an increase in wages for trained workers. The program is funded by a portion of Unemployment Insurance (UI) tax contributions dedicated solely for customized training.

Employer Eligibility Criteria

• Employer must have been in business in the state for at least three years, contributing and in full compliance with state UI tax laws.
  
• Employer cannot receive IWTP Customized Training and IWTP Small Business Employee Training concurrently.
  
• Employer must have at least 15 employees to be trained (employers can form a consortium to meet this requirement).
  
• Employer must request training to either:
• prevent job loss caused by obsolete skills, technological change, or national or global competition
• create, update, or retain jobs in a labor demand occupation
• update or retain jobs in an occupation which is not a labor demand occupation, if the administrator determines that the services are necessary to prevent the likely loss of jobs
  
• Trainees must be incumbent workers for whom the employer incurs a Louisiana UI tax liability.

The Process:

• Employer decides what training is needed and selects a suitable training provider(s)
  
• Employer and the training provider jointly develop a customized training plan to meet the needs of the company(s) and complete the IWTP online application..
  
• Applications are reviewed by IWTP staff to assure that all IWTP requirements are met. Negotiations are conducted to improve the application and to provide for the most cost-effective training.
  
• Applications are submitted to the Secretary of Labor for review and approval.
  
• Upon approval of the Secretary of Labor, a contract is developed specifying the goals to be accomplished, the scope of work and the line item budget. The contract is emailed to the employer and training provider for signature.
  
• The contract is signed by the Secretary of Labor and then forwarded to the LA Dept. of Labor's Contract Unit. After the contract is approved by the Contracts Unit, training begins.