JOHNSTOWN, PA — The Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) continues to support the future of manufacturing in Pennsylvania through a significant investment in the Manufacturing PA Training-to-Career (MTTC) program.
Gwen Ross, DCED Director of Workforce Development Initiatives, visited Forest Hills High School students on Tuesday, who are acquiring on-the-job skills at GapVax, Inc., a high-end industrial vacuum and jetter truck manufacturer. The visit showcased the impact of a $200,000 grant previously awarded to The Challenge Program to bolster its Students in the Workplace initiative in Cambria County and surrounding regions.
The MTTC investment aims to expand regional awareness of the manufacturing industry by equipping high school students with the necessary skills for successful careers in manufacturing, thereby creating a potential workforce that meets the needs of local businesses.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has set a goal to develop a pipeline of workers for advanced tech manufacturing to ensure the industry’s continued growth. Currently, Pennsylvania boasts 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,” Director Ross said.
The MTTC grant enables the Students in the Workplace program to connect students from grades 10 through 12 in Cambria, Somerset, Bedford, Blair, and Allegheny counties with direct-hire opportunities at manufacturing companies. Since the program’s inception, over 50 students have secured jobs in manufacturing.
Barbara Grandinetti, President of The Challenge Program, Inc., praised the MTTC investment for fostering a robust multi-year partnership between local manufacturers and schools. The increased engagement has led to more effective communication between students, schools, and businesses, resulting in curriculum adjustments that benefit schools, a stronger local workforce for manufacturers, and family-sustaining wage jobs for students.
Governor Shapiro’s 2023-24 bipartisan budget promises to invest $23.5 million in workforce training and technical education programs, preparing more students for skilled careers in the building, construction, and infrastructure industries. An additional $6 million will be allocated to pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programming to allow Pennsylvanians to earn while they learn and secure jobs that lead to family-sustaining wages.
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