阿加瓦姆 — Belt Technologies Inc., a manufacturer of custom metal belt conveyer solutions and conveyor systems for more than five decades, has been awarded a $45,600 grant to assist in the training of 24 workers and the creation of at least two new jobs before 2023. This project is funded by a Workforce Training Fund grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. The grant program is administered by Commonwealth Corp. “This grant provides us with a unique opportunity to not only grow our workforce, but provide new and useful skills to the people who we already employ,” said Belt Technologies owner and CEO Denis Gagnon. “We are proud to have been selected as one of the 99 Massachusetts companies to receive this grant. These funds will be integral in funding further training for our employees looking to move up in the world of manufacturing.” More than $8 million was awarded to companies all across Massachusetts, investing in companies from a variety of different industries. Belt plans to use the funds to help employees complete several training programs which will improve their proficiency with tooling, planned maintenance, and lean-manufacturing principles. The company currently employs 39 people in Agawam and plans to add two new manufacturing positions to increase capacity. “We are always looking for ways to employ more people from our community,” Belt Technologies President Alan Wosky said. “We are a global company, selling to distributors all over the world, but our heart is right here in Western Massachusetts, where our employees live and work. We hope these new positions we add will help us achieve our goals and provide a stable environment for employees to work and gain important skills.”