Agrium uses grant to hire more workers at Conda

Calgary-Agrium Inc. has hired 17 employees at its Conda phosphate fertilizer plant near Soda Springs as the result of a $51,000 grant from Idaho’s Workforce Development Training Fund, bringing its total employment at the site to about 280. The money will be used to train the workers in operations, plant maintenance, and engineering. The new jobs pay nearly $24 on average, plus health care and other benefits. The average wage in Caribou County, where Agrium is one of the largest employers, was just under $20 an hour in 2007. Erik Vettergren, Conda plant manager since mid-May, said Agrium started the process of applying for the funds early this year after an onsite training coordinator read about the state money’s availability. He said the 17 jobs are intended to be permanent. The vast majority of the new hires are from Southeast Idaho, including Soda Springs, Pocatello, McCammon, and Lava Hot Springs. “We’re happy we’re in a position to do this. It’s a long-term investment and wonderful opportunity,” said Vettergren, who previously worked as Conda production manager since October. Because of increased fertilizer demand, it’s a very good time to be hiring additional workers, he said. Agrium owns the Dry Valley and North Rasmussen Ridge phosphate mines that supply the Conda plant. The Dry Valley Mine is running at full capacity. Agrium plans to boost production at the North Rasmussen Ridge Mine. The Conda plant is now undergoing its annual turnaround. The Idaho Workforce Development Training Fund provides employers with up to $3,000 per employee to finance suitable training for each new worker. The fund is supported by Idaho’s 50,000 employers with 3 percent of their unemployment insurance taxes. Employers benefiting from the training subsidy must pay the new workers at least $12 an hour and provide employer-assisted health care. Over the past 13 years, the fund has provided training assistance to more than 150 businesses for more than 19,000 employees. In the nearly two years since the $12 minimum starting wage was required, the average wage for workers receiving training under the program has been $15.40 an hour. “The Workforce Development Training Fund has been the best economic development incentive our state has ever developed,” said Leandra Burns, Idaho Department of Labor business services manager. “This program has influenced scores of businesses to expand or locate in Idaho and provided thousands of workers with the training they needed to get better jobs with bigger paychecks.”