RochesterWorks! helped Mastro Graphic Arts Inc . receive $46,445 in training grant assistance, making the company more marketable.

"This training enabled us to grow our digital business which has already resulted in one new hire,"says William Betteridge, president at Mastro Graphic. The 35-year-old machine graphic arts company produces labels, overlays, data plates, digital graphics and a host of creative services.

RochesterWorks! started working with Mastro Graphic in December 2006 to request funds through the Finger Lakes Wired Scholarship Program to train employees on new equipment.

Mastro Graphic recently invested some $300,000 in new machinery including the Hewlett-Packard Indigo digital press.

Several months later Wired program funds enabled Mastro Graphic to train 9 of their 34 employees on industry specific skills including those needed to run the HP Indigo press, LEAN Manufacturing, Lenticular and New Foil.

"As a result of this training, these employees have gained very marketable skills that are hard to find in this area," says Christina Bakewicz , Business Services Coordinator with RochesterWorks!

The grant helped the company roll out training faster and to a larger number of staffers, strengthening the overall organization, Betteridge says.

"This training has enabled us to rapidly grow our digital offerings and it afforded us the opportunity to train other team members which gives us the flexibility to capture more business in this area," Betteridge says.

Since March 2007 RochesterWorks! no longer accepts applications for the Wired initiative because all of its funds have been allocated. But there are other state and local grants for training assistance including ADVANCE-NY, #25M and Customized Training Grant .

"We can assist businesses in applying for funds under either of these programs," Bakewicz says. See more information on current grants available.

See brochure on Mastro Graphics Arts

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