First Card invests $1.5 million toward training

First Card will invest about $1.5 million in a three-phase training program to be administered by Ozarks Technical Community College, according to a release from the college.

The OTC board of trustees voted to approve the second phase of three for the program at a Sept. 17 meeting. First Card will be assisted in funding the $570,000 worth of job training through a Missouri Economic Development program, which only OTC can administer in this region.

The program, called the Missouri Community College New Jobs Training Program, is one of the few in the nation.

The program is intended to encourage companies to expand their existing work force or locate a new facility in Missouri.

A company participating in the program is eligible for tax credits in the company's regular withholding of up to 50 percent of wages paid to workers in the new jobs.

Businesses currently located or locating in Missouri who are engaged in interstate or intrastate commerce for the purpose of manufacturing, processing or assembling products are eligible.

The First Card New Jobs project is the first in the Springfield area. The three phases of the project will result in about $1.5 million worth of training for nearly 1,000 new jobs created by the location of the First Card customer service center in Springfield.