3 southern Idaho businesses get training funds

BOISE, Idaho -- More than half a million dollars is going to three southern Idaho businesses to help train workers for new jobs.

The Idaho Department of Labor announced Monday that High Desert Milk in Burley is getting up to $144,000 to train 20 workers for operations, laboratory work, safety and maintenance. Amalgamated Sugar is getting up to $406,000 to train 78 new maintenance mechanics for its Paul and Twin Falls plants. And Boise Paper Holdings is getting about $17,000 to train 15 new employees.

The money comes from the Idaho Workforce Development Training Fund, which uses money from unemployment insurance taxes to reimburse companies for the cost of training employees for new jobs. To qualify, the new jobs must pay at least $12 an hour and include employer-provided health care.