Bruin Manufacturing Partners with Iowa Valley to Provide Employee Training
MARSHALLTOWN – When Bruin Manufacturing needed supplemental employee training, they turned to Iowa Valley Business and Community Solutions (formerly Continuing Education). Iowa Valley created a training plan designed to help employees improve their skills and overall productivity for Bruin.
Bruin Manufacturing is a plastic injection molding facility, supplying parts to industries such as construction, medical, agriculture, recreation, crop genetic testing, and engineering. Bruin runs a lights-out production facility, which means that the lights go out at 4:00 and the employees leave but the machines continue to run. Because of this, Bruin needed people skilled in industrial maintenance and tool and die manufacturing to keep operations running smoothly.
Iowa Valley was able to work with Business and Community Solutions staff to develop a customized training plan for their employees. Employees also had the opportunity to take tool and die courses through Marshalltown Community College.
“Having this local training resource has been invaluable for our business,” said Kate Bowermaster, Marketing and Culture Coordinator for Bruin. “Additional training has helped employees expand their knowledge base, and shows our commitment to their advancement. Continued training helps us stay competitive in the industry.”
Bruin is looking at training opportunities through the 260E and 260F programs, administered through Iowa Valley. These grants are designed to provide training funds for Iowa businesses. They are looking to expand the training they offer employees, and appreciate their relationship with Business and Community Solutions.
Bruin provides employees with the flexibility to take classes while working full time. Employees are able to upskill, and training is paid for through the 260F program, administered through Iowa Valley Business and Community Solutions.
“It was gratifying to put together a plan for Bruin,” said Neysa Hartzler, Business Outreach Coordinator with Iowa Valley. “It’s exciting to be able to address their needs and provide training programs that will help take them to the next level.”
The plastic injection molding company has been a Marshalltown staple for over 70 years, and employs 51 people. Bruin Manufacturing is an industry-leading manufacturer of precision plastic components utilizing high-output plastic injection molding process lines. From prototype to pilot and small-batch to large-scale production, we leverage innovative plastic injection molding processes, proprietary technologies, and knowledgeable team members to deliver high-quality on-demand injection-molded parts.
About 260E and 260F programs:
IOWA NEW JOBS TRAINING PROGRAM (260E)
This training program was developed to assist businesses that are expanding operations or locating a new facility in Iowa. This program can provide flexible funding to meet the wide variety of training and employee development needs of a new or expanding business. The grant covers basic adult education, job-related instruction (or on-the-job training), skills assessments, testing and evaluation of employees, and travel reimbursement.
IOWA JOBS TRAINING PROGRAM (260F)
This training program helps Iowa businesses fund customized training for current employees. The program is designed to foster the growth and competitiveness of Iowa’s business and industry by ensuring that Iowa’s workforce has the skills and expertise to compete with any workforce outside the state of Iowa. The grant covers basic adult education, job-related instruction (or on-the-job training), skills assessments, testing and evaluation of employees, and travel reimbursement.
To learn more about 260E and 260F programs, visit the Iowa Valley Business and Community Solutions website at IowaValley.com.