Erie County Times

Saint Marys Area School District will be receiving $200,000 in funding to create a student-run manufacturing program that is expected to start during the 2022-23 school year.

According to a release by Gov. Tom Wolf’s office, the funding is through the Manufacturing PA Training-to-Career Program (MTTC) and will involve 210 students. The pilot program will be known as Dutch Manufacturing, and it will give qualifying students a chance to manufacture parts, deliver services and be part of a supply chain for manufacturers. Students will learn how to perform job functions in manufacturing while developing skills, learning about and using technology, and being introduced to local companies. 

“This is a robust partnership between education, industry, and community that exemplifies the rural advantage,” said Dr. Harley Ramsey, Saint Marys Area School District Superintendent. “Over the past several months we have made remarkable progress toward aligning our programs to maximize opportunities for our students to thrive locally. The training-to-career grant will help us accelerate those critical and worthwhile outcomes.”

Gov. Wolf created the Manufacturing PA Initiative in October 2017 and has funded 63 projects with $14.4 million invested through MTTC. The grants have supported projects that help students be ready for work and place them into jobs, as well as allowing local manufacturers to teach essential skills for entry-level applicants. It also allows manufacturers to engage youth who are interested in the field.

“This great new program will give Saint Marys's students hands-on experience in manufacturing,” said Gov. Wolf. “Programs like these create a pipeline of talent to help ensure that manufacturing continues to flourish in Pennsylvania.”