Welding program receives new grant funding

Governor Tom Wolf announced the approval of $147,616 in new funding for Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center’s (SCCTC) Welding Manufacturing Workforce Training program. The funding will build on the governor’s commitment to expanding job training opportunities in Pennsylvania.

“This funding will ensure that there are opportunities for both younger students and the adult community to receive training that will help advance career paths in an industry that is facing a shortage of qualified employees—truly preparing a diverse and skilled workforce to thrive in Susquehanna County,” said Gov. Wolf.

The grant will allow SCCTC’s welding program to offer a more complete welding manufacturing industry education for students and will provide adults with access to classroom or afterschool programs for short-term training opportunities. The adult community will have 40- and 120-hour training opportunities available during the school day and evenings.

SCCTC aims to build the best-trained workforce possible to fill the much-needed void in Pennsylvania’s manufacturing workforce as jobs associated with building roads, bridges, water, and the power grid are anticipated to grow by double-digit percentages – faster than the overall economy, and skilled welders are in short supply.

Additionally, they hope to increase job opportunities available to SCCTC students upon graduation due to both their increased job experience and the networking developed with training partners.

Apprenticeships are a key component of Governor Wolf’s PAsmart initiative, an innovative way to improve coordination between state agencies, cut red tape, and invest in people and businesses to expand innovative job training in apprenticeships and other programs so workers get the skills they need to compete in the global economy.

Governor Wolf’s Manufacturing PA initiative was launched in October 2017, and since then has funded 35 projects and invested more than $9 million through the Training-to-Career program. Training-to-Career grants support projects that result in short-term work-readiness, job placement, or the advancement of manufacturing. The Manufacturing PA Training-to-Career program works collaboratively with local manufacturers to identify and teach missing essential skills for entry level applicants seeking manufacturing employment, engage youth or those with barriers to career opportunities in manufacturing, and or advance capacity for local or regional manufacturers.

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