Southwest Cheese will receive $294,665 from a state job-training initiative to train 73 new employees, said a state economic development department press release. The cheese company was previously awarded $718,456 for 79 employees by the Job Training Incentive Program in March 2005. The company has hired 88 employees to date, state officials said. Scheduled to open next month, the plant is expected to employ 220 when fully operational. The plant plans to produce 250 million pounds of cheese annually.