Update: Transform Solar Received $1.68 M In State Training Grants Before Announcing Layoffs
Transform Solar
Transform Solar will lay-off at least 250 employees, shutting down its Nampa, Idaho facility.
Earlier this week, Micron-owned Transform Solar, a maker of high-tech solar cells, announced it’s closing and laying-off at least 250 people over the next three months.
We first reported Transform has been reimbursed for just over $1 million of its $3.6 million workforce development training grant from the state of Idaho. That was using data from January 29. The Idaho Department of Labor reports as of May 30, Transform has been reimbursed for $1.68 million of that grant.
The labor department says Transform Solar will not have to return the grant money, which is paid for by a portion of the unemployment insurance tax paid by employers. At the very least, the labor department says Transform’s employees will leave their jobs with additional skills and training.
Summary of Training
In-house training development and delivery
Train the Trainer workshops
Training laptops
AOI System Operation and Programming
Photo Voltaic, Solar Thermal, wind and geothermal energy systems
Supervisory & HR training
ATS SmartVision & Vision system; automation tooling system
Lean Manufacturing
ASQ Certification
Photon Safety conference
Supply Chain Management
Phototool processes and operation
Piping system training
Gas and chemical systems
Applied Industrial Ergonomics
Hazardous waste training
Dupont safety training
Process instrumentation and control systems
Compressor training
A labor department spokesperson emailed a list of the kinds of training Transform’s employees got through the workforce development training grant, saying many of the skills are transferable and will help those affected by the layoff transition into new jobs.
Another solar company that recently announced layoffs, Hoku Corporation, was also reimbursed for training through the Idaho Department of Labor’s workforce development training grant. Hoku can receive reimbursement for nearly $983,000 in training cost. It’s total reimbursement as of April 30 is $651,266.
Here’s a list of the state’s active training grants:
[spreadsheet key=”0AiLU6Cs5LWZIdGNLLTJkbGZ2a0tCSF9sbUdVaG12TEE” source=”Idaho Department of Labor” sheet=0 filter=0 paginate=0 sortable=1]
*Satic, Inc. is a Missoula, Mont. based company whose Post Falls, Idaho location closed. The unused training grant will remain in the fund.
