Pasco County Board of Commissioners has voted to allocate an additional $2.43 million over a three-year period to AmSkills, a nonprofit organization focused on manufacturing job training. The decision was supported by a narrow 3-2 vote, with commissioners Seth Weightman and Ron Oakley opposing the move. Weightman criticized the continued reliance of the nonprofit on taxpayer funds after more than a decade of operation, while supporters argued that the program provides essential vocational training for local residents. The new agreement makes funding contingent on performance, specifically requiring AmSkills to train 200 residents and secure full-time manufacturing or technical job placements to receive the full amount of allocated funds. First authorizers included planning director David Engel who explained that this investment supports the growing demand for skilled manufacturing workers in the county. The program will utilize the Penny for Pasco fund to cover direct training costs and will not allow the county to pay off any existing nonprofit debt. Ultimately the board aims to strengthen Pasco’s industrial pipeline by creating a larger pool of skilled workforce to attract and maintain manufacturing companies in the region.
Key Points:
- Pasco County commissioners approved $810,000 annually for three years totaling $2.43 million for AmSkills.
- The decision was made by a 3-2 vote with commissioners Ron Oakley and Seth Weightman voting against it.
- AmSkills must train 200 residents and place them in full-time manufacturing jobs to receive the remaining $510,000 of total funding each year.
- The organization has received approximately $2.6 million from Pasco County since its launch in 2014.
- Commissioners agreed the new funds cannot be used to pay off a $150,000 debt already owed by AmSkills to the county.
