Erie County Times

Last week Gov. Tom Wolf announced that 26 PAsmart apprenticeship programs are being awarded $11 million in workforce development funding in an effort to support businesses and workers in Pennsylvania.

A release by Wolf on April 14 said that all 67 Pennsylvania counties are being served by at least one of the programs. The programs span the state and range from $300,000 to $650,000 each. The occupations being focused on are healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, IT, education, building trades and human services. Grants are through the Department of Labor and Industry Apprenticeship and Training Office (ATO), which is through her PA Statewide Movement for Accountability, Readiness and Training. The ATO was created in 2016 by the Wolf Administration to create a talent pipeline to help businesses and workers alike.

“Throughout history, apprenticeships have been a vital and necessary part of career education in certain fields,” Wolf said. “By expanding these important programs to more occupations and industries, we are offering Pennsylvania workers opportunities to train for family-sustaining jobs while helping businesses develop a workforce that will strengthen our economy and our communities.”  

The ATO provides outreach, education and technical support for 17,000 active apprentices, 5,000 new apprenticeships and 1,500 active apprenticeship programs. 

Department of Labor and Industry Secretary Jennifer Berrier said the funding is vital for workers and employers across the state.

“Today, workers have the power to demand better pay, better benefits and safer working conditions. Pennsylvania’s economic recovery from the pandemic depends significantly on what we do now to respond to those demands,” Berrier said. “Workforce development is most successful when community members collaborate to develop practical solutions to collective problems. The apprenticeship programs funded through PAsmart are precisely the types of solutions we need to meet this moment.”

The release adds that an additional $1 million was awarded for six ambassador networks created to support apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. Grants went to Keystone Development Partnership, Philadelphia Works on behalf of ApprenticeshipPHL, Thomas P. Miller and Associates, Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission, Pennsylvania Apprenticeship Coordinators Association and Luzerne/Schuylkill WDB.