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Harrisburg, PA – Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Jerry Oleksiak today announced that nearly $4.6 million in PAsmart grants are available to create more opportunities for Pennsylvania workers to increase their job skills and earn quality wages.

“PAsmart is helping build a world class workforce by investing in an education and training system that helps workers while also being responsive to employers’ needs,” said Secretary Oleksiak. “These PAsmart Next Generation Industry Partnership grants bring together multiple employers in the same industry to provide targeted job training so that students, workers, and job seekers get the skills they need to succeed in today’s global economy.”

Governor Tom Wolf secured $30 million for PAsmart last year and $40 million this year. In addition to the Next Generation Industry Partnership grants announced today, L&I will soon begin accepting applications for nearly $6.6 million in apprenticeship grants. The governor recently announced the availability of $20 million in PAsmart funding to advance science and technology education through the Department of Education.

“These grants are another example of the governor’s commitment to boost workforce development efforts across the commonwealth,” Oleksiak added. “Our regional workforce and economic development partners will use these grants to bring multiple organizations together at the same table to meet the skills needs of businesses and career goals of workers.”

PAsmart Next Generation Industry Partnership grants of up to $250,000 per partnership, are available through L&I to connect employers in the same industry to support job training in: advanced manufacturing; agriculture and food production; bio medical; building and construction; business services; education; energy; healthcare; hospitality; leisure and entertainment; logistics and transportation; real estate, finance and insurance; and wood, wood products and publishing.

Eligible applicants include local workforce development boards (LWDB), labor organizations, economic development organizations, industry associations, local education agencies, education intermediaries, post-secondary education providers, community-based organizations, libraries, and nonprofits. Any entity may serve as fiscal agent for all grant awards. Applicants are required to partner with an LWDB on their application.

The deadline to apply is January 3, 2020. Additional details, the grant application, and information about the bidder’s webinar can be found on L&I’s website.

Media contacts: Penny Ickes or Theresa Elliott, 717-787-7530 or dlipress@pa.gov

Building on the highly successful launch of his PAsmart initiative last year, Governor Tom Wolf today announced up to $20 million in grants are available to prepare students for the fast-growing fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and computer science (CS).

“PAsmart is strategically investing in science and technology education so students get the skills they need for emerging jobs in high demand,” said Governor Wolf. “The grants encourage businesses and schools to develop partnerships that focus education on the knowledge students will need to succeed in growing industries.

“Through PAsmart, we are developing the most prepared and talented workforce in the country, which will help students excel, grow the middle class, and strengthen the economy for everyone,” he said.

The governor secured $30 million for PAsmart last year and $40 million this year. The Department of Education will award $20 million for STEM and computer science education through PAsmart Targeted Pre-K-12 grants and Advancing grants. The Department of Labor and Industry will soon announce applications for $10 million for apprenticeships and industry partnerships. Funding for career and technical education also increased by $10 million.

“Pennsylvania is a national leader for offering innovative computer science and STEM learning, which is critical to ensuring that students are college, career, and community ready when they graduate,” said Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera. “PAsmart Targeted and Advancing grants help train educators to provide high-quality STEM and CS experiences in their classrooms. They also promote community partnerships to ensure all students of all ages, including those who are historically underserved and underrepresented, receive STEM and CS education.”

PAsmart Targeted PreK-12 grants, of up to $35,000 each, are structured to meet the needs of local education agencies (LEAs) and their schools that have limited to no computer science offerings and did not receive targeted grants in 2018-19. These grants are used to help schools introduce and expand computer science programming and to provide educators from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 with training and professional development to teach CS. The Targeted grants also provide greater opportunities for students of color, low-income students and girls to learn critical skills needed to succeed in today’s workforce.

PAsmart Advancing grants, of up to $500,000 each, support cross-sector partnerships that provide quality STEM and CS experiences to learners of all ages – early childhood, PreK-12, postsecondary, and adult learners – as part of high-level strategic approaches to workforce readiness. The grants enable regions to expand STEM ecosystems; grow partnerships between LEAs, postsecondary institutions and businesses; expand CS/STEM opportunities to historically underserved populations; and expand the pool of CS/STEM educators at all levels of education.

The deadline for submitting Targeted grant applications to PDE is Friday, December 20, 2019

Advancing grant applications must be submitted to PDE by Friday, January 10, 2020.

Grant applications and additional information is available on the PDE website.

The STEM Ambassador Program is a 10-month leadership training opportunity and a strategic way to advance state STEM/workforce policy goals through education, targeting relationships with policymakers, and building a coalition of local and regional support. More information can be found here.

Harrisburg, PA – Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Jerry Oleksiak today urged local workforce development boards (LWBDs) to apply for $2.5 million in new Business-Education Partnership (BEP) grants that will connect businesses and school districts and expand career opportunities throughout Pennsylvania.

“This funding supports one of Governor Tom Wolf’s key workforce development objectives to provide students with the technical training they need to get good-paying jobs when entering the workforce,” Secretary Oleksiak said. “These business and education partnerships give students the skills to succeed in today’s economy, while simultaneously creating new generations of highly-skilled workers for Pennsylvania employers.”

A total of $2.5 million in funding is available through L&I to LWDBs to implement Business-Education Partnership programs. These programs help increase awareness of in-demand technical careers for students, parents, guardians, and school faculty. Each of the 22 statewide LWDBs are strongly encouraged to apply.

“Last year the commonwealth funded Business-Education Partnership grant activities to serve nearly 29,000 individuals across Pennsylvania,” Oleksiak added. “These partnerships benefit employers by educating tomorrow’s workforce about the career and technical education job opportunities that exist and provide students with a solid first-work experience that puts them squarely on the path to future success.”

The partnerships connect schools, employers, and students to provide career-related experiences and opportunities through soft-skills development, internships, workplace shadowing, and career mentoring, all with the goal of informing more students about the need to develop technical skills required by employers.

The Business-Education Partnership grants from L&I are funded at 100 percent through federal money made available from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act.

The grant funding to encourage job training opportunities works supports Governor Wolf’s PAsmart initiative to create the strongest workforce in the nation. The governor secured $70 million for PAsmart over two years, including $40 million for science and technology education and $30 million for apprenticeships and job training programs.

Additional details and the grant application can be found on L&I’s website. The deadline to apply is November 15, 2019.

For more information about pursuing an education and career in Pennsylvania at any stage of life, visit PAsmart.

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

Media contacts: Penny Ickes or Theresa Elliott, 717-787-7530 or dlipress@pa.gov

The Keystone Economic Development and Workforce Command Center was created earlier this year to expand the collaboration between government and the private sector to address the skills gap and worker shortages. Charged with identifying impediments to employment and creating strategies for addressing them, the command center is a true public-private partnership bringing together experts from business, industry, and the state – and committing dedicated resources – to ensure our collective economic future is bright.

North Central Region Listening Session
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The Pennsylvania College of Technology announced a National Science Foundation grant totalling $438,391 aimed at cybersecurity workforce development has been extended for another year.

The grant, “Improving the Pipeline: After-School Model for preparing Cyber Defense and Information Assurance Professionals,” introduces high school students to career possibilities in cybersecurity through interaction with information technology faculty.

“The extension of the NSF grant will allow Penn College to further educate local students and teachers about information assurance and cybersecurity,” said Bradley M. Webb, assistant dean of the college’s Industrial, Computing and Engineering Technologies program.

“Careers are plentiful and we need to infuse the field with high-quality graduates dedicated to securing the data systems we rely on daily. This program, developed with NSF support, helps accomplish that goal,” he said.

During the past two years, students from Williamsport, Jersey Shore, Muncy and Hughesville high schools have visited Penn College each week to learn about the field.

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