307 Trainees Assisted Through State Job Training Program

State Agency Press Release – From the New Mexico Economic Development Department

Over 1,200 Workers Approved for Training Assistance in FY25

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Economic Development Department has approved support for 307 trainees across 12 companies in June and July through its statewide Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP), with over $3.6 million in potential funding.

Fiscal year 2025 (FY25) concluded with 60 companies receiving JTIP awards across New Mexico. The program approved funding for up to 1,238 trainees at an average wage of $25, including 820 workers in rural communities, earning an average wage of $21. The state also approved 38 interns for training assistance.

“Each year we see the JTIP program expand in both reach and impact,” said EDD Cabinet Secretary Rob Black. “More and more companies are taking advantage of these funds that help keep and grow jobs in New Mexico.”

June 2025 awards showed a continued uptick in usage of EDD’s Step Up initiative, in which funds are used to upskill current employees so that they can advance within their companies. Including the three Step Up awards, a total of six companies were approved for JTIP in June, representing over $2.2 million in potential funding for up to 224 trainees.

FY26 kicks off with funding for up to 83 trainees from seven companies, including one Step Up award. The JTIP Board approved over $1.4 million for July.

Most companies approved during this two-month period were in science and technology industries, along with food and hospitality, advanced manufacturing, and creative industries, all sectors identified by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham as targets for economic growth.

Awardees for both June and July are as follows:

• ABB Installation Products, Inc. in Albuquerque plans to train up to 80 new employees at an average wage of $22 with $457,775 in funding. The company manufactures underground cable connections and accessories.
• Amfabsteel, Inc. in Bernalillo will train up to 35 employees at an average wage of $22 with $417,494 in funding. The company provides integrated services in structural steel fabrication.
• Arcosa Wind Towers in Belen will train up to 80 new employees at an average wage of $24 with $1,125,919 in funding. Arcosa Wind Towers designs and fabricates custom tubular steel towers.
• Golightly Company, LLC in Santa Fe will train up to 4 employees using $17,197 in Step Up funding. GoLightly manufactures a hand-loomed line of cashmere knits and knitwear, and chocolate confections
• Hoonify Technologies Inc. in Albuquerque will train 1 employee at a wage of $54 with $32,138 in funding. Founded as a spinout from Sandia National Laboratories, Hoonify provides high-performance computing solutions and services.
• Kairos Power LLC in Albuquerque will train up to 32 employees at an average wage of $49 with $821,552 in funding. Kairos Power’s NM facility serves as a hub for engineering, development, and non-nuclear testing of its novel molten fluoride salt-cooled reactor.
• KiloNewton, LLC in Albuquerque will train up to 4 employees and 3 interns at an average wage of $44 and $25, respectively, with $141,624 in funding. In addition, they will train 2 current employees using $2,542 in Step Up funding. KiloNewton provides technical and engineering analysis and software design for the renewable energy sector.
• Navitas Global LLC in Portales will train up to 34 employees at an average wage of $26 with funding up to $579,776. A recent LEDA recipient, Navitas specializes in converting whey derivatives, a sugar-rich byproduct of dairy processing, into advanced biofuels and high-protein animal feed.
• Paseo Pottery in Santa Fe will train two employees at an average wage of $23 with $22,908 in funding. Paseo Pottery is a working pottery studio factory and showroom that also provides monthly “Pottery Throw Downs” in which it donates 100% of the proceeds to local nonprofits.
• Robocasting Enterprises LLC in Albuquerque will train two employees at an average wage of $23 with $21,044 in funding. With its roots to Sandia National Laboratories, Robocasting manufactures ceramic parts via Additive Manufacturing / 3D printing for industrial applications and develops new materials for 3D printing for advanced research and development projects.
• STEM Boomerang in Albuquerque will use $47,500 in Step Up funding to upskill 25 trainees. STEM Boomerang offers a targeted training program that equips businesses with effective strategies to attract, grow, and retain talent.
• Tumbleroot Brewing LLC in Santa Fe will hire two trainees at an average wage of $16 with $14,462 in funding. Tumbleroot Brewing produces craft beers and spirits, operating a production facility and an on-site tasting room, as well as several satellite locations.

JTIP offers reimbursements of at least 50% of trainee wages for up to six months to companies expanding and hiring within New Mexico. Higher percentages are offered for rural or frontier located jobs, high-wage, hiring recent New Mexico graduates, and other high-impact criteria.