Pennsylvania L&I Awards $4.6 Million in Industry Partnership Grants

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 27, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry recently awarded a total of $4.6 million in Industry Partnership grants to fund 28 partnerships among 19 workforce development boards across the state.

The Industry Partnerships, in turn, will train more than 5,000 participants in the advanced manufacturing, agriculture and food processing, building and construction, business services, energy, healthcare, and logistics and transportation industry sectors.

Industry Partnerships provide a forum for groups of employers to collectively address skills gaps and training needs, provide industry credentials for workers, facilitate peer-to-peer networking, connect business with education, and align industry needs through regional partnerships between workforce, economic development and education.

"Industry Partnerships are critical to the future of our state, and are a key institutional innovation for meeting the skills needs of businesses, the career goals of workers, and the economic development goals of the commonwealth," Labor & Industry Secretary Kathy Manderino said. "The department is pleased to be awarding these grants that have the ability to spur job advancement, growth, and creation by prioritizing funds to occupational areas of critical need."

The grants are awarded for industry-specific groups of employers, or partnerships, with similar training and development needs. The intent is for the partnerships to determine shared needs and then share resources through the grant to train incumbent workers and help grow the businesses where they work.

One of the grants will support the diversified manufacturing and transportation, warehousing and logistics industry sectors in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.

"These growing industry sectors in the Lehigh Valley are critical drivers of our economy, making up 17 percent of jobs in the region," Lehigh Valley Workforce Development Board Executive Director Nancy Dischinat said.  "Industry Partnership resources give businesses in these targeted sectors the opportunity to train their current workforce, increase skills, improve productivity, and allow our employers to remain profitable in a highly competitive marketplace."

For a full list of winners and grant amounts, visit http://www.dli.pa.gov/Businesses/Workforce-Development/Pages/Industry-Partnerships.aspx

MEDIA CONTACT: Sara Goulet, 717-787-7530

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry

Related Links

http://www.dli.pa.gov