Johnstown, PA – Today, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Director of Workforce Development Initiatives Gwen Ross met Forest Hills High School students learning on-the-job skills at high-end industrial vacuum and jetter truck manufacturer GapVax, Inc., to see firsthand the impact of a prior $200,000 grant awarded to The Challenge Program to support its Students in the Workplace program in Cambria County and surrounding areas.

The Manufacturing PA Training-to-Career (MTTC) investment is expanding regional awareness in the manufacturing industry by inspiring and equipping high school students with the skills and knowledge they need to have successful careers in manufacturing while providing a potential workforce that meets the needs of regional businesses.

Governor Josh Shapiro has set a goal of developing a pipeline of workers to advanced tech manufacturing to ensure the industry will continue to grow. Pennsylvania currently is home to the 6th largest manufacturing industry in the U.S. by employment.

“Manufacturing has always been the backbone of Pennsylvania’s economy, and our investment in the Students in the Workplace program is helping our young people learn the special skills they need to enter the workforce and become leaders in the manufacturing industry,” said Director Ross. “The Shapiro Administration is focused on growing our economy and building a Commonwealth where all Pennsylvanians have the freedom to chart their own course and have more opportunities to succeed.”

Through the MTTC grant, the Students in the Workplace program connects young people in grades 10 through 12 in Cambria, Somerset, Bedford, Blair, and Allegheny counties with on-the-job experience at manufacturing companies that provide direct-hire opportunities. Since its inception, Students in the Workplace has connected over 50 students with manufacturing jobs.

“The MTTC investment has provided us the ability to create a more robust multi-year partnership between local manufacturers and schools”, said The Challenge Program, Inc. President Barbara Grandinetti. “This increased engagement has opened up channels for more effective communication between students, schools and businesses, resulting in positive curricular adjustments for schools, a stronger local workforce for manufacturers, and family-sustaining wage jobs for students”.

The MTTC grant program works collaboratively with local manufacturers to identify and teach missing essential skills for entry level applicants seeking manufacturing employment, engage youth or those with barriers to career opportunities in manufacturing, and/or advance capacity for local or regional manufacturers.

Governor Shapiro is focused on creating real opportunity for Pennsylvanians, whether that’s through college or the workforce. The 2023-24 bipartisan budget delivers on that promise by investing $23.5 million in workforce training and technical education programs to prepare more students for skilled careers in the building, construction, and infrastructure industries and $6 million in pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programming so Pennsylvanians can earn-while-they-learn and secure a job that leads to family-sustaining wages.

For more information about Manufacturing PA Training-to-Career program or Department of Community and Economic Development, visit DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Penny Ickes, dcedpress@pa.gov

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