Purdy paint sundries granted training dollars

Purdy Corp.'s manufacturing plant in Reno is about to hire 36 new workers and will be getting help from the state to train them.

Purdy, the Portland, Ore., based maker of paint brushes and rollers for professional painters, met with the Nevada Commission on Economic Development last week which granted it dollars under the state's "Train Employees Now" program.

Under that program, a business can receive up to $1,000 per employee as long as the company plans to hire at least 10 new employees at a minimum wage of $12.81.

The training money goes directly to the training institution, in this case the Truckee Meadows Community College.

"It's a great win-win situation," said Lisa Plummer, director of business development at the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada, which worked with Purdy to get approval for the state training program.

"It helps the college and it helps the company."

TMCC and Purdy are working together on several classes for both production workers and supervisors, according to Mike Rainey, dean of TMCC's outreach college.

The community college will teach 16 hours in work safety issues, including handling of hazardous materials, forklift operations, first aid and fire evacuation.

A class on inventory control will consume about 60 hours while a supervision skills class will last 40 hours.

Two language classes - Spanish for Supervisors and English as a second language - will be 75 hours.

Purdy is expected to hire the 36 workers as soon as possible and the classes will launch within 30 to 45 days, said Rainey.