PORTAGE | For 16 employees of Knox's MPI International Inc., Friday afternoon was a time to bask in their accomplishments. They recently completed a Workforce Education program through Portage Adult Education as a first step in an apprenticeship program being offered by MPI.

MPI marked the occasion with an employee appreciation day, which included a visit from corporate leaders nationwide. The workers improved their grade levels in math by an average of three years during the three-month program.

One MPI employee's math level jumped a dramatic 4.6 grade levels during the period of the 60-hour course.

The men that took part in the Workforce Education program now are qualified to enter an apprenticeship program through MPI. The company currently is working to have the apprenticeship training take place at Vincennes University in Vincennes, Ind.

Portage Adult Education offers its Workforce Education program to companies in Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Newton, Jasper and Starke Counties. Businesses can contact Robbin Kern, the school's Workforce Development Facilitator, about aspects of their employees skill base they wish to see improved. Kern and her staff then work to develop a customized curriculum for the employees taking part in the program to help them meet their employer's goals.

Funding for the program comes from Adult Education in Indiana in the form of grants. If the employer meets all of the program's criteria, the program will be provided free of charge.

"Most manufacturing companies want to improve their productivity. And how do you do this? You do that by educating your work force," Kern said.

Portage Adult Education Workforce Education also has worked with Waters Nursing Home in Chesterton and Sisters of St. Francis Health Services.

In the case of the nursing home, Kern's staff worked to improve employees' English, math and customer service skills. For Sisters of St. Francis Health Services, the staff worked to improve English as a Second Language skills so the hospital could do more recruiting from within.

"Whatever their needs are, we will be there to help them meet them," Kern said.