DOWNINGTOWN, PA — The Chester County Technical College High School (TCHS) announced a new partnership with the PA Talent Pipeline Project Philadelphia Region to offer more job opportunities in the manufacturing field for TCHS students. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis, a reduction in manufacturing occurred, leading to an increased workforce demand in the maritime supply chains. To secure a future in the maritime workforce, an initiative was launched in May 2021, called the Pennsylvania Talent Pipeline Project, by the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) and the United States Navy.
“The PA Talent Pipeline Project Philadelphia Region is pleased to announce the new partnership with the Chester County Technical College High School in supporting defense industry manufacturing through connecting employers in the region with TCHS talent. This effort will bolster local community economics while strengthening our country’s ability to enhance and maintain our defense capabilities. We look forward to a great year of offering their candidates opportunities at great careers in the defense industry,” said Ambrose “Bo” Brewer, program manager of the pipeline project.
TCHS recently signed a pledge to connect graduating students directly entering the workforce to manufacturing companies in Chester County in order to assist the needs of the Navy. To date, TCHS is the only school in Chester County that has committed to this project.
Cleveland Cliffs, located in Coatesville, is the first company to partner with TCHS and the PA Talent Pipeline Project. This company is the largest flat-rolled steel company in North America and a leading supplier of automotive-grade steel.
“We are so excited to be supporting the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the United States Navy in their PA Talent Pipeline Project initiative by creating manufacturing pipelines in the defense industry. There are many companies in Chester County producing the specialized equipment needed to build defense vessels and we are devoted to growing this partnership and helping fulfill their workforce deficits,” said Jill Stoltzfus, TCHS career readiness coordinator.
Students in the following TCHS programs will be eligible to participate in the pipeline project: welding, carpentry, auto service, auto collision, HVAC, electrical occupations, engineering, robotics, electromechanical engineering and engine technology. Additionally, the students in CCIU’s E3 Re-Entry Program (Exit, Enter, Employ), which assists individuals exiting the justice system with jobs in the manufacturing industry, are also eligible to participate in the project.
If a TCHS or Re-Entry Program student is chosen for the project, they will be invited to a signing ceremony in May 2023. This sign-on day is a celebration of the PA Talent Pipeline Project partnership and the beginning of the students’ careers in the maritime workforce. During the ceremony, maritime supply chains will announce their formal commitment to hire and retain these individuals from CTE programs.
“We are pleased to be partners in the PA Talent Pipeline Project Initiative with the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the United States Navy. The possibilities are endless for the students from the Technical College High School and the Re-Entry program. We are honored to participate in an endeavor that will bring employment opportunities that will enhance our communities,” said Joseph Fullerton, Ed.D., director of Career, Technical, and Customized Education.
The mission of the Philadelphia Region Workforce Pipeline Project is to engage the Philadelphia regional economy by creating a maritime-focused pipeline that encourages employers to recruit, hire and train the workforce with critical skills. This will result in productive, engaged long-term employees. The pipeline project will now include a school-to-work model and encourage employers to provide Career and Technical Education (CTE) students with a career in a high-demand industry.
To learn more about TCHS programs or the Re-Entry Program, visit http://www.cciu.org.
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