Arc Herkimer receives nearly $82K grant for training

HERKIMER, N.Y. — Arc Herkimer recently received an $81,848 grant from M&T Bank/Partners Trust Bank Charitable Fund for a new Distribution Center Candidate Training Program (DCCTP) within the agency’s Herkimer Industries division.

With the funds, the agency will pay salaries for nine candidates to attend DCCTP for the first 12 months. The program will run in three rotations for the first year with three candidates each spending 16 weeks in training positions. Candidates will rotate between Herkimer Industries sites in Herkimer, Little Falls, and Ilion.

Each site will offer on-the-job training in picking, packing, shipping, fork-truck certification, scaling, wrapping, and warehouse operations. Candidates will work alongside other Herkimer Industries professionals for peer-to-peer mentoring. At the end of their rotation, Arc Herkimer’s Career Connections will provide support and assistance with long-term employment.

“We cannot thank M&T Bank/Partners Trust enough for making this idea come to fruition to build relationships between Herkimer Industries, local distribution centers, and members of our community,” Mike Lamb, VP of industrial operations at Arc Herkimer, said in a release. “We are happy that our goals aligned of helping individuals with disabilities and veterans build an industrial skillset that can prepare them for sustainable careers.”

The M&T Bank/Partners Trust Charitable Fund considers projects that have potential for making long-lasting impact.

Headquartered at 350 S. Washington St. in Herkimer, Arc Herkimer (www.archerkimer.org) supports more than 600 individuals with disabilities annually through seven different divisions and more than 40 sites throughout Herkimer County.