PHILADELPHIA, PA — Philadelphia Youth Basketball unveiled plans Friday for a $50 million workforce development center in North Philadelphia designed to connect thousands of young adults with careers in industries facing regional labor shortages, backed in part by Pennsylvania capital funding.
The Generator of Career Development and Economic Opportunity is expected to open in early 2029 alongside PYB’s Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center.
The project has received $1.5 million through Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, including $500,000 from the Shapiro administration.
Gov. Josh Shapiro joined PYB President and CEO Kenny Holdsman and other local leaders Friday at the Sixth Man Center to detail the project.
The Generator will provide specialized training and instruction aimed at careers in skilled trades, construction, technology, and healthcare. Plans also call for a small-business accelerator serving aspiring and existing entrepreneurs.
Additional services are expected to include career coaching and job placement, driver’s education, financial literacy education, resource navigation, healthy meals, and clinical health and mental health resources available to participants and the broader community.
“It is simply too hard for young adults without a college degree and family connections with employers to find a pathway to economic independence and family sustaining income,” Holdsman said.
PYB currently serves more than 1,600 young people annually and is supported by more than 350 volunteers and staff. The organization uses basketball and related programming to work with young people on education, career preparation and other skills.
The new project builds on substantial state funding already directed to PYB. The organization previously received $11.5 million in RACP grants for development of the Sixth Man Center.
The Shapiro administration has also awarded PYB $2.29 million through Violence Intervention and Prevention grants for after-school and evening programs, expanded programming at the Sixth Man Center, and staff salaries.
Combined with the latest capital funding, total Commonwealth investment in PYB stands at $15.3 million.
Shapiro said The Generator would expand the work already taking place at the Sixth Man Center by creating additional opportunities for young people and families.
The project comes as Pennsylvania directs more state resources toward workforce development. The 2026-27 state budget increased funding for vocational-technical education, career and technical education, and apprenticeships by $70 million to $193 million, a 60% increase from when Shapiro took office.
The budget also increased annual funding for the Student Teacher Stipend Program by $10 million to $40 million and allocated $2.5 million to the Nurse Shortage Assistance Program. Another $3 million was allocated to establish an optometrist training program.
Pennsylvania has registered 278 new apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs during Shapiro’s tenure, with more than 30,000 apprentices and pre-apprentices enrolling in registered programs, according to the administration.
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