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Three Central Pennsylvania programs designed to prepare students for the workforce are among 12 programs chosen to receive Schools-to-Work grants.
Gov. Tom Wolf today announced awards of more than $2.5 million to prepare students through classroom training, workplace visits, internships, apprenticeships, mentorships, employment opportunities, job shadowing, externships and more.
“The Schools-to-Work grants provide students with real-world learning opportunities including apprenticeships and internships that will help build solid career paths to employment or secondary education,” Wolf said. “The funds will help Pennsylvania workers obtain the skills and industry-recognized credentials or college credits needed to create a pipeline of highly skilled employees to meet current and future labor market needs.”
The funding will support partnerships between schools, employers, organizations and associations to create employment pathways for students and reduce barriers to family-sustaining jobs.
The grants are funded through the Reemployment Fund, which assists individuals to become employed or improve their employment. The Reemployment Fund is funded by a portion of employee tax paid under the Unemployment Compensation (UC) Law.
The 2022 Schools-to-Work programs will kick off July 1 and run through December 31, 2024.
The Southcentral Pennsylvania programs are:
- The Manufacturer’s Association, covering Adams, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties, $213,736.
With more than 2,500 manufacturers operating in southcentral Pennsylvania, the region has an ongoing need for skilled workers in the sector. The Manufacturer’s Association’s current schools-to-work project has helped more than 80 students enter a talent pipeline and several tech schools have expressed interest in offering the pre-apprenticeship certification through the association. This funding will be used to expand the program to other counties, purchase equipment and update the curriculum, the Wolf administration said.
- NuPaths LLC., covering Cumberland and Dauphin counties, $249,968.
This project will provide career exploration and entry into career training for 72 sophomores and juniors at seven southcentral Pennsylvania high schools. In the 2022-23 school year, students will participate in an online afterschool program to earn an industry certification and college credits. Some of the students who complete the afterschool program will enroll in a NuPaths pre-apprenticeship program as juniors and seniors during the 2023-2024 school year.
- Franklin County Career and Technology Center, covering Adams, Franklin and Fulton counties, $200,000.
This project will support the creation of an intergenerational training program for high school students and adults at Precision Machining and CNC Operations in Franklin County. Students selected from Franklin, Adams, and Fulton counties will train in the only PDE-approved CIP Code 48.0501 Machine Tool Technology/Machinist program of study still in existence in this three-county area, completing the program with credentials qualifying them for high-wage, high-demand careers in advanced manufacturing.