Gov. Wolf Announces $4.8 Million in Industry Partnership Grants to Strengthen Workforce Development in Pennsylvania

Press Release

Governor Tom Wolf today reinforced the Wolf Administration's commitment to developing Pennsylvania's workforce and the commonwealth's competitiveness in a global economy with the announcement of nearly $4.8 million in PAsmart Industry Partnership Grants distributed among 26 recipients with innovative plans to meet local and regional workforce needs.

"The world of work has changed dramatically in the past few years. While change often brings challenge, it also brings opportunity," Governor Wolf said. "Industry Partnership Grants are an investment in the future of Pennsylvania, and I am proud of this administration's work to encourage innovation that meets the needs of Pennsylvania employers and workers."

Since 2018, under Governor Wolf's PAsmart initiative, the administration has distributed nearly $60 million statewide to expand job training through registered apprenticeships and industry partnerships and to support STEM and computer science education in hundreds of schools across Pennsylvania.

"Pennsylvania employers are hiring, and they need more skilled workers," said Department of Labor and Industry Secretary Jennifer Berrier. "PAsmart was created to help close the skills gap and allow more people to get the education and training they need to get those good jobs. The 26 grants announced today enhances the Wolf Administration's goal to build the strongest workforce in the nation."

Strengthening job and skills training in Pennsylvania is a priority for the Wolf Administration. Several workforce development programs to meet local employer needs have been created, which include the Keystone Economic Development and Workforce Command Center, launched in 2019. This strategic public-private partnership helps to identify and address barriers to work, the skills gaps, and worker shortages in Pennsylvania.

The following PAsmart grant winners and amounts were awarded. To view full details, visit PAsmart Industry Partnership Grants.

SOUTHEAST REGION
AgConnect (Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, and Philadelphia -- $160,000)
AgConnect will use its grant funding to expand its employer base to engage a broader and more diverse representation of the industry in the region. AgConnect will convene discovery meetings to align job seeker and employer priorities and will establish employer champions to drive programming and industry sector solutions. Their training plan for industry employees includes training for 186 spots.

Philadelphia Region Hospitality and Entertainment Industry Partnership (HE&EIP) (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia -- $175,000)
The partnership will use its grant funding for various activities related to workforce development, including training, recruiting, marketing, supportive services, and contracting.

The Innovative Technology Action Group (ITAG) (Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia-- $250,000)
The group will use its grant funding for employer outreach, events for tech education, incumbent worker training, youth career exploration activities, and targeted support for newly formed companies.

Collar County Emergency Medical Services (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery-- $75,000)
This new partnership will use its grant funding to engage Emergency Medical Services (EMS) employers from Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties to identify shared needs that can be supported by education, workforce development, economic development, or community-based resources.

Southeastern Pennsylvania Manufacturing Alliance (SEPMA) (Bucks, Montgomery, and Philadelphia -- $200,000)
The alliance will use its grant funding for recruitment, training, developing a pipeline of diverse workers, and workshops for business growth activities.

Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional Logistics and Transportation Industry Partnership (SEPAR L&T-IP) (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia -- $200,000)
The partnership will use its grant funding to recruit companies and educational training organizations from across the region to participate in transportation, distribution, and logistics industry partnership; to conduct a comprehensive, partnership-wide needs assessment and equity analysis; to devise a sustainability plan that will provide ongoing funding for the partnership; and to evaluate partnership effectiveness.

SOUTHWEST REGION
PA Steel Alliance (Allegheny, Beaver, Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland -- $250,000)
The Pennsylvania Steel Alliance will use its grant funding to align workforce, education and economic development partners with steel industry business and labor leaders. The Steel Alliance is interested in supporting training and appropriate credential attainment with wage increases, talent recruitment, diversity, equity and inclusion, increased career and industry policy awareness, as well as networking and collaboration on a regional and statewide level. Business priorities for the Alliance include: market protection from illegal foreign steel, maintaining the Pennsylvania Procurement Act and promoting workforce development.

Healthcare Industry Partnership (Allegheny -- $250,000)
The partnership will use its grant to fund staff time toward Healthcare Industry Partnership convenings, partnership recruitment, program planning/implementation, and to subsidize on-the-job training for related Medical Assistant healthcare occupations.

JARI All Industries Partnership (Cambria and Somerset -- $150,000)
The partnership will use its grant to fund incumbent worker training, a health and safety conference, a youth conference, an annual job fair, co-op stipends for high school students, and industry tours for students and educators.

Southwest Corner Advanced Manufacturing Next-Gen Sector Partnership (Beaver, Greene, and Washington-- $144,000)
The partnership will use its grant funding for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to reach underrepresented populations in the manufacturing sector. Other plans include business and education roundtable events, manufacturing career promotion and incumbent worker training.

Southwest Corner Building and Construction Next-Gen Sector Partnership (Beaver, Greene, and Washington-- $250,000)
The partnership will use its grant funding for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to reach underrepresented populations in the construction sector. Other plans include business and education roundtable events, construction career promotion and incumbent worker training.

Southwest Corner Healthcare Industry Partnership (Beaver, Greene, and Washington-- $100,000)
The partnership will use its grant funding for workforce training; diversity, equity, and inclusion training for employers; community and school outreach activities; and contracting out project evaluation.

Technology Industry Partnership (Allegheny -- $250,000)
The partnership will use its grant funding for Technology Industry Partnership convenings, partnership recruitment, program planning/implementation and Pittsburgh Technology Council contracted services. The grant will also be used to fund 15 participants in the Per Scholas Tech training program.

Tri-County Health Care Industry Partnership (Armstrong, Butler, and Indiana -- $175,000)
The partnership will use its grant funding for training, recognition, recruitment, and coordination.

Tri-County Manufacturing Industry Partnership (Armstrong, Butler, and Indiana -- $175,000)
The partnership will use its grant funding for training, scholarships, recruitment, and coordination.

Tri-County Technology Industry Partnership (Armstrong, Butler, and Indiana-- $55,000)
The partnership will use its grant funding for training, scholarships, career pathways, and coordination.

Westmoreland-Fayette Healthcare Industry Partnership (Fayette, Westmoreland-- $137,044.50)
The partnership will use its grant to convene industry partners for employer seminars and workshops to address best practices, DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) training, and opportunities to connect with training services and resources to address major industry needs.

Westmoreland-Fayette Manufacturing Industry Partnership (Fayette and Westmoreland -- $142,444.50)
The partnership will use its grant to convene industry partners for employer seminars and workshops to address best practices, DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) training, curriculum development, and helping industry partners attend valuable career fair and local manufacturing events.

CENTRAL REGION
Lancaster Berks Construction Connection (Berks, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon -- $55,556)
Lancaster Berks Construction Connection will use its grant to develop a robust worker recruitment website for the construction industry with an emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion. Funding will also be used to develop video content promoting the construction industry and to plan community events and school presentations showcasing career opportunities within construction.

Project Jumpstart (Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, and York -- $231,004)
Project Jumpstart will use its grant funding for workforce development activities, including website creation, K-12 outreach, match-making events between schools and industries, career pathways, entrepreneurial engagement, and strategic planning.

South Central Manufacturing Industry Partnership (Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lebanon, Perry, and York -- $250,000)
Goals of the partnership include driving more individuals into manufacturing career pathways, changing the image of the industry, creating innovative programs in training and outreach, and providing high skill technical incumbent worker training to provide the credentials and certificates for the modern manufacturing workforce.

South Central PA Agribusiness industry and Education Collaborative: The Giant Company Regional Initiative (Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Perry, Snyder, and York -- $250,000)
The collaborative will use its grant funding to expand the front-line leadership certificate program to reach a broader range of occupations within grocery retail and food manufacturing and to modify the program for use within the transportation and warehousing industry. Other plans include adoption of a shared reskilling program plan that streamlines the ability of employers within the grocery retail and food manufacturing sectors to recruit dislocated and underserved workers for high-priority occupations.

North Central PA Healthcare and Social Assistance Industry Partnership (Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, and Potter-- $247,940)
The partnership will use its grant to fund employee recruitment and retention initiatives and skills training for employers to increase the skills of the current workforce.

North Central PA Manufacturing and Building Construction Industry Partnership (Cameron, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, and Potter --$250,000)
The partnership will use its grant to fund employee recruitment and retention initiatives and skills training for the current workforce.

NORTHEAST REGION
Northeast Regional Healthcare Industry Partnership (Bradford, Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wayne, and Wyoming-- $106,111)
The partnership will use its grant funding to meet career awareness, readiness, recruitment and retention goals. Specific initiatives include hosting career events and activities, creating healthcare career guides, expanding work-based opportunities for youth, identifying short-term industry certifications for incumbent worker and new hires, and exploring non-traditional training models for healthcare, such as apprenticeships.

NORTHWEST REGION
Pennsylvania Cybersecurity Center (Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango, and Warren -- $250,000)
The program will use its grant funding for recruitment and exposure to the industry, curriculum, and placements.

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