February Job Training Funds Announced

Santa Fe, N.M. – The New Mexico Economic Development Department has awarded Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP) grants to eight companies for the training of 107 new employees, Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes said today.

More than $889,000 in job training funds were awarded to businesses in Rio Rancho, Church Rock, Loving, Albuquerque, Roswell, and Los Alamos. The average wage of the trainees is $17.21 per hour and three of the businesses are first-time JTIP recipients -- Supply One, Theta Plate, and USA Beef.

February’s JTIP applicants are a great example of New Mexico’s diverse economy. Trainees will join the workforce in numerous industries, including value-added agriculture, manufacturing, energy, Aerospace, meat processing, and nanotechnology.

The grants were awarded by the JTIP Board on Feb. 14 meeting in Santa Fe.

"We are hearing from businesses all over New Mexico that they are more confident in the economy and want to hire new employees," Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes of the Economic Development Department said. "JTIP is providing the boost those businesses need to add those jobs and grow."

The following companies were awarded JTIP Funds:

AerSale Component Solutions, Inc., Rio Rancho, which provides airframe components, structural repairs and overhauls, recently re-configured its existing 100,000 square foot facility to incorporate a 60,000 square-foot landing gear shop. The company was awarded $139,490 for 16 new positions with an average wage of $20.34.

Rhino Health, Inc., Church Rock, is investing more than $49 million in a 124,000 square foot manufacturing facility and warehouse to produce nitrile gloves. The $155,000 approved for Rhino Health’s 31 trainees are a re-authorization of funds previously approved, as the company has experienced delays in reaching first production and had to delay hiring.

Sendero Midstream Partners, LP, Loving, has constructed a natural gas gathering and processing system in the Permian Basin. The facilities consist of both low and high pressure gas gathering pipelines, a high-efficient cryogenic processing plant, and a natural gas liquids takeaway pipeline. The company was awarded $185,570 for 6 position with an average wage of $40.

Supply One, Albuquerque, designs and manufactures packaging products. The company has operations in 20 states and each one is highly regarded in their local and regional markets. It was awarded $30,820 for 8 positions with an average wage $13.72.

Theta Plate, Inc., Albuquerque, focuses on high quality precious metals electroplating. Theta Plate has been serving the high tech sector that includes: defense, R&D, electronics, medical, and aerospace; and medium to low tech decorative customers, such as jewelry manufacturers, architects, designers, and contractors. It plans to hire two more employees with an average wage of $21.75.

UbiQD, Inc., Los Alamos, is a nanotechnology company that manufactures high-performance cadmium-free quantum dots and composite materials. In December 2019, UBiQD was awarded a Phase II Small Business Technology Transfer contract by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to fund collaborative research and development using quantum dots to tailor the spectrum of sunlight for optimized crop growth for in-space and planetary exploration missions. UbiQD was awarded $120,900 to hire five more employee with an average wage of $41.84.

USA Beef Packing, Roswell, is ideally located to serve the many dairy farms in Roswell and the surrounding area. Demand from the company’s customers has increased 40%-50% over the past year and they purchased a 13,000 square foot facility on Main Street to be used as a USA Beef Packing’s processing and packaging facility. The business was awarded $232,321 to hire 38 employees with a wage of $13.98.

The Verdes Foundation, Albuquerque, is a nonprofit organization and is one of the longest operating production and medical cannabis dispensaries in New Mexico. The Verdes Foundation works closely with the New Mexico Department of Health, meeting all quality and regulatory requirements. Verdes will train a new packaging associate at a wage of $16 per hour.

JTIP is one of the most generous training incentive programs in the country, reimbursing 50-75% of employee wages for classroom and on-the-job training in for up to 6 months. The Legislature created JTIP, formerly known as the Industrial Development Training Program, or “in plant training,” in 1972. Since then, JTIP has supported more than 1,600 training projects and 47,000 new jobs.

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