The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania recently simultaneously awarded three new Pennsylvania state Apprentice and Pre-Apprentice grants ─ totaling nearly $400,000 ─
to The Manufacturers’ Association, headquartered in York and which serves the state’s southcentral region.

Designed to build capacity and expand the Association’s current Pre-Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship programs, the Association views the unique three-grant award as the Commonwealth’s show of support and endorsement for the ongoing work by the Association in supplying a steady pipeline of skilled workers to meet the needs of manufacturing in the region.

“We at The Manufacturers’ Association applaud the Commonwealth’s initiative, in recognizing the importance of a well-educated workforce. These awards demonstrate their recognition of the high caliber of training programs we have managed and delivered for many years, to thousands of manufacturing employees here in our area,” noted Todd Willman, the Association’s marketing and membership manager.

The PA Department of Labor and Industry provided support for two of the grants, where the Association partnered with the regional workforce development board, SCPaWorks.

One of the two grants will help grow a pre-apprenticeship that has been started in collaboration with area high schools in the Susquehanna Valley. The second grant helps develop an apprenticeship mentor program for employers and also to build capacity for the current apprenticeship program that the Manufacturers’ Association is well known for, throughout the region. 

The third grant, award by the PA Department of Community and Economic Development, enables the Association to help provide apprenticeship training funds for companies that are not currently connected with the Association’s apprenticeship program and which enroll a new apprentice in the Fall.

In May of 2017, the Association was approved as a ‘group sponsor’ of apprenticeships with the state office, allowing manufacturers to register directly with the Association for a state-approved registered apprenticeship program. 

Adding to the Tool and Die and Machinist apprenticeships that the Association already sponsors, these grants will help build the program in trades such as an industrial maintenance, quality technician and a short-term industrial manufacturing technician apprenticeship.

The Association currently has almost 40 apprentices from over 25 companies in its program ─ and its goal is to come close to doubling that number, according to Training Manager Brian Paterniti. “One of our main objectives as an Association that recognizes the critical workforce needs of its members, is to help ensure there is a steady pipeline of skilled workers to meet the needs of local businesses. Apprenticeships can help do just that.”

The Association will publicly provide more details concerning these grants, closer to a July 17 kick-off announcement and open house at its training center in Emigsville, PA.

For questions about the new state-funded grants, please contact Brian Paterniti, training manager, at (717) 843-3891 or by email at [email protected] .

May 30, 2018