Governor Wolf Announces Investment to Help Grow Electrical Industry Apprenticeships in Pennsylvania

governor wolfImage via Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

HARRISBURG, PA — Governor Tom Wolf recently announced $297,000 has been awarded to the Western PA Chapter Electrical Apprenticeship Corporation to help expand their training center in Clearfield County.

“Supporting apprenticeships is a win for both workers and companies in the commonwealth,” said Gov. Wolf. “Participating in apprenticeships allow Pennsylvanians to earn a paycheck while learning the specialized skills employers need. My administration will continue to invest in these programs that strengthen our workforce, help existing businesses succeed, and attract new companies looking to set up shop in Pennsylvania.”

The JATC provides training to prepare students for a career as an electrician through a tuition-free five-year apprenticeship program. Through the funding provided by Pennsylvania’s Pre-Apprentice and Apprenticeship Grant Program, the Clearfield Training Center will be expanded with additional classrooms and hands-on labs. Many students currently must travel as much as two and a half hours each way to attend the hands-on lab training portion of their curriculum located at the JATC’s facility in Pittsburgh. The addition of labs to the Clearfield Training Center removes this hardship for these students.

“The JATC is committed to addressing the demand for skilled electricians by providing tuition-free, state of the art electrical training through in-seat classroom instruction and on the job training,” said Paul Reinert, JATC Training Director. “Apprentices enter our program at various ages and stages in their lives, from young men and women just graduating high school to men and women with families. This grant will help us continue a tuition-free program so the high school graduate can start to establish themselves financially to move forward into adulthood and the adult who already has multiple financial obligations does not have to fret about additional monetary burdens.”

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In recent years, the JATC has seen an increase in the number of enrolled students, creating a need for additional part-time instructors. Funding will also be used to hire three additional part-time instructors to meet this need.

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 DCED website.

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