Ketchum Group lands Underground Force contract

The Ketchum Group, a Coeur d'Alene training business headed by Robert Ketchum, has been awarded a contract to supply on-the-job training to Underground Force, a new division of Ground Force Manufacturing.

The Post Falls manufacturing company expects to generate 125 new jobs to operate its new Post Falls mining equipment manufacturing facility.

The Ketchum Group will be responsible for new employee training.

Funding for the project will come in part from Idaho's Workforce Development Training Fund.

"This will be the largest project to date for Ketchum and his associates," a press release states.

Ron Nilson, president of Ground Force Manufacturing, said Ketchum's former leadership at North Idaho College's Workforce Training Center made Ground Force NIC's top client for contract training services for four of the past six years.

"Since NIC chose to downsize Ketchum's program, we are happy to hire the Ketchum Group to meet our training needs," Nilson said.