State job training program poised to support up to 252 jobs

The New Mexico Economic Development Department’s (EDD) job training program has approved up to $4.6 million in funding for 12 companies to help train 252 workers.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham
Cabinet Secretary Rob Black
Deputy Cabinet Secretary Isaac Romero

Contact: Chris Chaffin
Chris.Chaffin@edd.nm.gov
(505) 490-7962

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 3, 2025

State job training program poised to support up to 252 jobs
October funds surpass the last 3 months combined in dollars awarded

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Economic Development Department’s (EDD) job training program has approved up to $4.6 million in funding for 12 companies to help train 252 workers.

October Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP) approvals surpass the last three months combined in terms of dollars awarded, due in large part to businesses looking to hire a significant number of employees, and a trend toward higher-paying jobs, especially within the science and innovation fields. The average hourly wage statewide for FY26 is $26.61, while this month’s awards are funding training for jobs with an overall average of $35.51 ($19-$61).

“This month’s applications are a great snapshot of the breadth of our industries in New Mexico,” said EDD Cabinet Secretary Rob Black. “We’re supporting jobs in every sector, including science, manufacturing, aerospace, interactive media, agriculture, and more.”

JTIP reimburses a portion of the trainee’s salary, incentivizing company growth and relocation in New Mexico. It enables companies to build a skilled workforce tailored to their specific needs and can improve their eligibility for receiving additional incentives, such as the High Wage Job and Rural Job tax credits.

EDD recently interviewed JTIP Manager Patrick Gannon for our Pathfinder newsletter. You can read the full interview at edd.newmexico.gov/stories/interview-with-jtip-manager-patrick-gannon and sign up for our newsletter at EDD.NewMexico.gov/newsletter.

Both large and small companies make up this month’s round of awards:

• The Boeing Company, Albuquerque, 56 trainees at an average hourly wage of $59. This is a revised application for a total award of up to $1,846,953. Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries.

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  B PUBLIC Prefab PBC, Santa Fe, four trainees at an average hourly wage of $33 with an award of up to $69,426. B.PUBLIC is a team of architects and designers that facilitates new construction projects through education, estimating, design and technical support.

• DeadEye Creative LLC, Santa Fe, three trainees at an average hourly wage of $26 for a total award of up to $41,668. DeadEye Creative provides post-production and visual design services to the film, television, and advertising industries. This is the company’s first JTIP award.
• GridFlow, Inc., Albuquerque, one trainee at an hourly wage of $46 for a total award of up to $27,654. GridFlow also received $14,165 in Step Up funding, a JTIP initiative that helps offset training costs to upskill incumbent employees. GridFlow manufactures advanced lithium-sulfur flow battery technology for safe, long-duration energy storage.
• Humble Brands Inc., Taos, two trainees at an average hourly wage of $26 for a total award of up to $35,603. Humble Brands manufactures and distributes cosmetics such as deodorant, soap, and lip balm — all made with clean, sustainably sourced ingredients and scented with pure botanicals.
• MINDSET Integrated Inc., Albuquerque, two trainees at an average hourly wage of $26 for a total award of up to $26,200. MINDSET provides quantitative analysis of brain MRI data, forensic neuroscience coordination and AI software. This is the company’s first JTIP award.
• Pacific Fusion Corporation, Albuquerque, 46 trainees at an average hourly wage of $61 for a total award of up to $1,476,806. Pacific Fusion is a fusion energy company, producing fast-rising electric current pulses in an effort to  demonstrate net facility gain — creating more energy in a reaction than it takes to start it. This is the company’s first JTIP award.
• Passages International Inc., Albuquerque, eight trainees at an average hourly wage of $21 for a total award of up to $51,754. Passages manufactures and distributes biodegradable and eco-friendly funeral urns and caskets.
• Sage Botanicals, Santa Fe, one trainee at an hourly wage of $27 for a total award of up to $14,210. Sage Botanical manufactures, assembles, distributes and sells cacti and related botanical products, including custom soil blends.
• Stampede Culinary Partners Inc., Sunland Park, 82 trainees at an average hourly wage of $16 for a total award of up to $596,572. Stampede Culinary Partners specializes in manufacturing ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook protein products and further-processed foods.
• thyssenkrupp Materials NA Inc., Santa Teresa, 28 trainees at an average hourly wage of $24 for a total award of up to $304,726. thyssenkrupp delivers customized solutions for switchgear, switchboard, transformer, and other electrical distribution, protection and power quality equipment needs.
• Vitality Works Inc., Albuquerque, 19 trainees at an average hourly wage of $19 for a total award of up to $97,833. Vitality manufactures herbal supplements, sourcing botanicals directly from organic farmers worldwide and utilizing efficient extraction processes.

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