Two Shelbyville companies will benefit from Indiana Department of Commerce grants aimed at helping retrain employees whose jobs become obsolete at their particular locations.

Blue River Stamping Inc. received $14,075, and PK USA received $70,000. Both companies specialize in metal stamping and automotive assembly parts.

Lt. Gov. Joe Kernan announced five Central Indiana companies this week as grant recipients.

"To remain competitive, businesses must offer the latest training to employees while consistently upgrading equipment and technology," Kernan said. "These grants are there to help Hoosier companies make the investments needed to remain ahead of the game."

Economic development officials have long touted retraining programs as a key to helping mid-career workers adapt to changes in technology and the economy.

PK USA, which has invested $21.7 million in equipment upgrades, plans to retrain 405 employees in such areas as English as a Second Language, welding, robotics and programmable logic controllers.

"We are very excited to receive this funding from the state," said Bill Kent, PK USA's vice president of human resources and administrative affairs, "because as we invest in our most important and most vital resource, which is our people, we remain committed to our training initiatives. With the assistance of the state, we continue to be able to provide our people with the training they need, which makes us competitive in today's market."

Blue River Stamping intends to retrain 59 employees, along with two new ones, following its $256,000 investment in equipment upgrades at the plant. It intends to train employees in English as a Second Language, welding, manufacturing processes, programmable logic controllers and other quality control procedures.