Oakdale allocates $25,000 to Volt Institute for workforce training and scholarships

The Oakdale City Council approved a resolution to allocate $25,000 from the city’s economic development account (Fund 245) to Opportunity Stanislaus to participate in the Volt Institute program, which offers accelerated manufacturing training and related workforce development services.

City staff said the $25,000 investment would provide a 50% discount on Volt programs for Oakdale staff and a $15,000 credit to establish a city-administered scholarship program for residents. Staff said scholarships would be available to Oakdale residents age 18 or older with a high school diploma or GED, a valid photo ID, and minimum WorkKeys test scores (score of 4 in applied math, graphic literacy, and workplace documents). Staff noted the program’s industrial maintenance mechanic training and supervisory and leadership modules as examples of offerings that could help local employers fill skilled positions.

A representative from Opportunity Stanislaus and the Volt Institute, Dave White, described success stories of program graduates and reported that some graduates earned significant wage gains; he said one graduate recently earned $60 per hour after progressing through Volt and a local employer. Council members expressed support for the program as an alternative pathway to college for residents and asked staff to monitor the program; staff said Volt would report quarterly and city staff would administer the scholarship selection.

A motion and second carried in a recorded 4-0 vote to approve the allocation and the scholarship plan managed by city staff.