Pennsylvania Ag Connection - Manor College Digital-Literacy Preparing Pennsylvanians for Family-Sustaining Jobs

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Manor College Digital-Literacy Preparing Pennsylvanians for Family-Sustaining Jobs
Pennsylvania Ag Connection - 05/20/2022

Governor Tom Wolf was joined by Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Jennifer Berrier at Manor College in Montgomery County to highlight a program to enhance foundational digital-literacy skills and provide greater access to employment opportunities in the 21st Century job market. The program was created with grant funding from the Wolf Administration.

"With digital platforms dominating how the job market attracts and finds employees, it is critical that all Pennsylvanians have the necessary skills to navigate these opportunities," said Wolf. "I am proud of the work being done at Manor College, and the rest of the grantees, to prepare their graduates for success. It's a win-win situation for everyone. Pennsylvanians deserve every opportunity to succeed in family-sustaining jobs, and Pennsylvania businesses need access to the candidates for their job openings."

In 2021, L&I announced an investment of $1.3 million for computer-based training offered by 32 organizations statewide. Manor Collegereceived $45,000 to promote digital-literacy skills among job seekers and assist students with in-class and online job-search training and career-readiness curriculum.

"We must ensure that job seekers at all levels have the necessary skills to effectively navigate digital platforms used in the workplace," said Secretary Berrier. "The success of Pennsylvania's workforce is dependent on digital competency -- an effort made possible by the Digital Literacy and Workforce Development Grants (DLWDG) and the work being done at Manor College to help students find competitive employment with family-sustaining wages."

Since its beginning, Manor College's digital-literacy program has served 85 students during the 2021-22 academic year. Students were offered in-class, career-readiness instruction and had the opportunity to engage in one-on-one resume review with faculty and Manor College Career Center counselors. The program runs through Sept. 30.

On Wednesday, Secretary Berrier joined Manor College digital-literacy instructors from the business, education, and veterinary technology departments, as well as career counselors and Montgomery County PA CareerLink officials for a networking event and roundtable discussion to talk about what is being done at the local level to develop lifelong digital literacy skills in an ever-evolving, technology-advanced workforce.

"The Digital Literacy Grant has brought a new focus for our programming already here at Manor College," said Rich Jutkiewicz, coordinator for the Career Center at Manor College and head librarian for the institution. "Certainly, we help our students prioritize their job search as they prepare to graduate. With our career-focused degree and certificate programs, this is organic to what we do. This grant has helped us make this type of programming a focal point for instructors and counselors alike. It provides an important resource to students as they seek to make the most of the education they receive here."

DLWDGs are 100 percent federally funded by federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Statewide Activity funding. WIOA Statewide Activity funding can be used to help job seekers and workers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market. Additional details can be found on L&I's website.

Additional information is available on the L&I website at https://www.dli.pa.gov/ or by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

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