Evaluation of the Kansas Department of Commerce Kansas Industrial Training (KIT) and Kansas Industrial Retraining (KIR) Programs

Abstract

The State of Kansas Department of Commerce (KDOC) administers two customized train­ing programs. The Kansas Industrial Training (KIT) program is available to companies wanting to locate a new facility in Kansas or for existing companies wanting to expand their current Kansas work forces. The Kansas Industrial Retraining (K.IR) program is designed to assist restructuring Kansas companies whose employees may lose their jobs because of obsolete job skills and knowledge. Both programs are available to manufacturing, distribution, and regional or national service-related operations training 10 or more employees. To date, the KIT/KIR programs have provided funds for customized training to a variety of businesses and industries. These include aircraft manufacturing, telemarketing, financial services, and meat processing. The funds have been used to train people to produce such things as elevators, aluminum wheels, wood cabinets, batteries, industrial belts, pet food, auto decals and computer software. Each company receiving KIT/KIR funds designs its own particular training program using its own supervisory staff, a vocational-technical school, a community college, vendors, consultants, or a mix of these to meet the company's specific training needs (Jack, September 1990).

The KIT program appears to have a dual purpose. On one hand, it is used to provide training funds to firms as part of an incentive package to encourage firms to locate or expand their businesses in Kansas. On the other hand, the training provided to Kansas workers should increase their human capital, making them more employable. The KIR program is designed to provide cost sharing in the retraining of workers for other jobs within an organization when restructuring makes current jobs obsolete. This training, too, should help increase the human capital of those Kansas workers involved.