Governor Tom Wolf announced $100,000 in new funding for Catalyst Connection, through Pennsylvania’s Manufacturing Training-to-Career (MTTC) program, to support the Essential Skills for Manufacturing (ESM) entry-level training program that focuses on the expansion and hiring needs of small- and medium-sized manufacturers in southwestern Pennsylvania.
“Since day one, my administration has been committed to investing in valuable training programs like ESM that create direct pathways to connect job seekers with permanent employment,” said Wolf. “This new funding will help entry-level workers in southwestern Pennsylvania get the crucial skills they need to successfully enter the job market.”
Through the ESM program, employers will engage with 20 trainees to provide career awareness and pre-employment training for job seekers in communities near the partner employers. Program content will be based on real-time feedback from employers regarding their requirements for entry-level skills, with no prior work experience.
Based on employer feedback and learning experience from the previous ESM training program, Catalyst Connection will pivot from a heavy emphasis on online training to more instructor-lead courses in partnership with regional training providers.
“Catalyst Connection is pleased to be working closely with DCED to expand training programs to support the expansion and hiring needs of small and medium sized manufacturers in southwestern Pennsylvania,” said Petra Mitchell, CEO of Catalyst Connection. “With these funds, we will be able to expand our pre-employment training programs and help another 20 workers prepare for and secure family-sustaining manufacturing jobs.”
Catalyst Connection is a private not-for-profit organization headquartered in Pittsburgh that provides consulting and training services to small manufacturers in southwestern Pennsylvania, accelerating revenue growth and improving productivity. Through active collaboration with clients and the manufacturing community, they contribute to the growth, vibrancy, and ongoing robustness of manufacturing in the region.
Wolf’s Manufacturing PA initiative was launched in October 2017 and since then has funded 88 projects and invested more than $18.5 million through the MTTC 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 Grant 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.
For more information about the Wolf Administration’s commitment to manufacturing, visit the DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Wolf has served for two terms as a leader consistently at work for the people of Pennsylvania. Learn more about how his Priorities for Pennsylvania have fueled the commonwealth’s comeback, leaving Pennsylvania in a much better place than when he arrived.
Categories: Pennsylvania, Business