Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf is continuing to invest in Pennsylvania’s workforce with the announcement of $297,000 in new funding to help JATC of Shamokin Electricians IBEW LU 607 (JATC) prepare apprentices for in-demand jobs in the electrical industry.

“Apprenticeship programs are an essential tool to grow the commonwealth’s workforce,” said Gov. Wolf. “Apprentices earn a paycheck while learning the specialized skills they need to secure a good job upon completion of their program. This is a true win for both apprentices and businesses in Pennsylvania.”

The JATC has a five-year program through which apprentices receive a mandated 180 hours of classroom training each year and 8,000 hours of on-the-job training in the electrical industry. Apprentices are incentivized to succeed and receive increased pay and responsibilities as they advance through the program.

Although apprentices earn a paycheck, they must contribute financially to their training. Funding provided by Pennsylvania’s Pre-Apprentice and Apprenticeship Grant Program will help the JATC maintain their program by offsetting these expenses for their students and financing supplies for the program.

“We couldn’t be more grateful for this investment in Central Pennsylvania’s electrical workers,” said Michael J. Glowatski, Training Director. “This will have a significant impact in our ability to provide training in our rapidly advancing industry.”

There are currently 35 apprentices enrolled in the apprenticeship program at the JATC’s 6,000-square-foot training center in Shamokin, Northumberland County. The program’s instructors are all graduates of the JATC that work or have worked in the in the electrical industry.

The Pre-Apprentice and Apprenticeship Program works to increase apprenticeship availability to Pennsylvania employers to assist them with their talent recruitment and development. Funding is provided to eligible applicants for the purpose of reaching the goal of increasing apprenticeship accessibility across the state. Eligible uses of funds include expenses related to instruction that complements on-the-job learning.

For more information about the Pre-Apprentice and Apprenticeship Grant Program and other economic development programs, visit the Department of Community and Economic Development website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACT: Elizabeth Rementer, Governor’s Office, ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov, 717-783-1116 Penny Ickes, DCED, dcedpress@pa.gov

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