MEDIA, PA — Delaware County Community College’s Educational Foundation secured a $300,390 grant to provide tuition-free manufacturing training for lower-income adults across the Philadelphia region, linking GED preparation with technical credentials as employers confront an aging workforce.
The Chappell Culpeper Family Foundation grant will finance DCCC’s Manufacturing Pathways Initiative, an education-to-employment program for people facing barriers to training and employment, the college reported.
Students will be able to pursue GED preparation while completing either a 34-credit computer numerical control manufacturing certificate or a 15-credit computer-aided drafting certificate. The pathway also allows participants to continue immediately or later into an associate degree in applied science.
DCCC positioned the initiative as a response to two regional workforce constraints: adults without a high school equivalency credential often cannot access financial aid or technical education, while manufacturers are seeking workers to replace an aging labor force.
“By combining GED preparation with industry-recognized technical training, we’re building a stronger workforce pipeline that benefits both our students and the region’s employers,” Karen Kozachyn, DCCC’s vice president of workforce and economic development, stated.
The computer numerical control program prepares students for entry-level manufacturing, machining and industrial-production roles. Potential industries include aerospace, automotive, medical devices, defense, energy, metal fabrication, plastics, robotics and industrial equipment.
The computer-aided drafting certificate prepares students for entry-level work in drafting, design, engineering support, manufacturing and construction, including positions in civil engineering, aerospace, defense and utilities.
DCCC provides skilled-trades classes at its Marple Campus and Southeast Center in Drexel Hill.
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