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HARRISBURG, PA - Four Pennsylvania community colleges recently received a PAsmart Career and Technical Education Innovation Grant to advance workforce initiatives in the Commonwealth.
Luzerne County Community College, Bucks County Community College and Lehigh Carbon Community College, community colleges which are part of the Technical Trades Consortium of the Expanded Northeast Region of Pennsylvania, received PAsmart grants funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education in partnership with the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board.
This grant will allow each college to collaboratively launch a strategic initiative to deliver high-demand fiber optics training across the Northeastern Pennsylvania region and build a robust talent pipeline for the digital infrastructure sector. The training will be held over four days and can be hosted in a variety of ways at the colleges, including: weekends, evenings and day-time sessions. Career opportunities include fiber optic installers and field techs, as well as data center technicians.
By collaborating with industry leaders and regional technical high schools, these colleges in the Trades Consortium will recruit up to 120 students to complete a four-day fiber optics training program. Graduates will receive an industry-recognized certification and qualify for good-paying jobs at regional data centers. Offering “stackable credentials” will incentivize students to continue their education and earn a credit-bearing degree or certificate to advance their careers within this growing industry.
“Funding from this PAsmart Grant will be used in creative ways by the Consortium colleges,” said Dr. Tuesday Stanley, President of the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges. “An emphasis will be placed on starting appropriate career-oriented discussions with students in our Career and Technical Centers (CTCs) and by working with the Trades.”
Montgomery County Community College also was awarded a PAsmart grant to support a workforce development partnership with Eastern Center for Arts and Technology and Western Montgomery Career and Technology Center to expand welding and construction trades training opportunities. Funding will support instruction, equipment, training resources and other program-related costs that increase regional capacity for welding and construction trades training.
“It is such a great example of how our community colleges come together to help the Commonwealth fulfill its workforce needs,” Dr. Stanley added. “Our sector continues to demonstrate why our community colleges are the key ingredient in workforce solutions.”
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