PA Invests $3.3 Million to Train Manufacturing Workers, Expand Skilled Workforce

Representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and the Department of Labor & Industry announced a $3.3 million investment in the expansion and strengthening of the skilled trade workforce.

Twenty-one new awards under the Manufacturing PA Training-to-Career (MTTC) Program will assist schools, organizations, and training providers to expose students to careers in manufacturing and other skilled trades.

More than $15.1 million has been invested in training through the MTTC program since 2023 to provide hands-on opportunities for thousands of future workers.   

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Could Philly’s $2 Billion Bet on Housing Help Reduce Gun Violence?

According to research from the University of Pennsylvania, fixing and repurposing abandoned homes can make a city safer.

In Philadelphia, the H.O.M.E. Plan is aiming to rehabilitate 30,000 homes in the next few years that will address both the housing affordability crisis and the city’s violent crime rate.

The four-year initiative, which is utilizing $2 billion in funds, will change mortgage qualification rules, help residents make housing repairs, provide renter financial assistance, and beautify neighborhoods.

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Will an Old PA Coal Town Get a Reboot from AI?

Homer City, a city in southwest Pennsylvania, once hosted the largest coal-fired power plant in the state.

Once employing hundreds of people and deploying 2 gigawatts of energy, the plant closed after financial struggles and environmental concerns.

This article discusses the potential job prospects, opportunities, and concerns following a new data center project in Homer City. 



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Building an Evidence Base for the Business Case for Apprenticeships

Although support for apprenticeships in the United States is increasing, low employer participation is a significant barrier to program expansion.

Aggregate return on investment (ROI) and inconsistent frameworks for apprenticeships are key factors for data collection.

Brookings Research discusses how to build an evidence base for businesses cases for apprenticeships and how to increase ROI on apprenticeship programs.  



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AI-Exposed Occupations and the Changing Job Market for College Graduates

Since the widespread adoption of generative AI programs, several industries are being reshaped, with concerns of some jobs becoming obsolete.

Researchers have studied unemployment patterns and hiring trends from 2022-2024, highlighting findings on AI-exposed occupations.

This article explains market shifts in the last few years and jobs are relating to potential AI automation. 



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Latest Research on the HOPE VI Public Housing Experiment

In the early 1990s, the United States launched the controversial HOPE IV program to demolish distressed public housing projects and turn them into mixed-income housing complexes.

Over a course of years, researcher Raj Chetty has been gathering data and evidence alongside Opportunity Insights to explore findings on how a neighborhood may shape a child’s economic pathways.

NPR discusses the history of HOPE IV and new research on how policymakers may be able to transform neighborhoods’ economic mobility. 



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