HARRISBURG – Five programs in southwestern Pennsylvania will receive state grants totaling nearly $1.3 million to help employees learn critical job skills, according to Senator Camera Bartolotta (R-46).
Catalyst Connection – which serves residents of Beaver, Greene and Washington counties – will receive more than $190,000 to support 15 apprentices in its industrial manufacturing technician program.
The Community College of Allegheny County, which serves Washington County residents, will receive more than $210,000 to enhance and expand its Registered Apprenticeship system.
Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania, Inc. will receive more than $240,000 to develop curriculum to expose secondary education students in Beaver, Greene and Washington counties to career pathways in skilled trades, building trades and manufacturing.
The Pittsburgh Chapter of the German American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. – serving Beaver and Washington county residents – was awarded $250,000 to support a dual apprenticeship program to address skills gaps in advanced manufacturing.
The Southwest Corner Workforce Development Board, which serves Beaver County, was awarded $400,000 to expand apprenticeship opportunities with local partners in the construction and building trades.
“Apprenticeship programs are a valuable gateway to a number of quality careers in family-sustaining industries in local communities,” said Bartolotta, who serves as Chair of the Senate Labor and Industry Committee. “All of these programs help community residents to learn the skills they need to move our local economy forward.”
The grants were awarded through the Registered Apprenticeships grant program as part of Pennsylvania’s PAsmart initiative. The initiative helps fund a number of projects designed to meet the educational and workforce development needs of students, workers, employers and communities across Pennsylvania.
CONTACT: Eric Kratz (717) 787-1463