Business & Industry Training to purchase trainer with grant

Springdale-based nonprofit Business & Industry Training (BIT) will buy new training equipment after receiving a $25,000 workforce training grant from Arconic Foundation.

BIT Director Julie McAllaster said the new electrical wiring trainer is expected to be installed at the nonprofit’s Springdale location, hopefully before the end of the year. She noted that equipment is taking longer to receive and could take between four and seven months from the order date.

According to a news release, the trainer will enable students to learn the electrical wiring skills needed for career roles, such as electricians, engineers and industrial maintenance technicians.

Arconic Foundation invests in the communities of Arconic Corp., the parent company of Kawneer. The company’s Springdale plant manufactures architectural systems for building facades.

“The manufacturing industry in our region continues to grow, and our need for skilled workers is greater than ever,” said Dale Williams, plant manager of Kawneer in Springdale. “Manufacturing offers a fulfilling, financially rewarding career, and Arconic Foundation’s investment at BIT will help even more students gain the experience they need to join the manufacturing industry.”

The new trainer will be BIT’s first electrical wiring trainer, McAllaster said. BIT, which also has a Gentry location, has been providing short-term skills training to area workers since 1996. BIT has seven employees.

“Companies that invest in their employees’ talent and value will build retention and workplace satisfaction,” said Mike Rogers, chief workforce officer for Arkansas. “Developing internal pathways and advancing an individual’s capacity allows them to own their potential. BIT continues to lead the charge in being responsive to their industry partners by being agile and responsive to market demands. The hard-working, blue-collar men and women that advance skill sets are what drive Arkansas to excellence. I champion those who choose to provide skilled trades that many too are ignorant of.”