ALLENTOWN, Pa. — As far as Workforce Board Lehigh Valley Executive Director Nancy Dischinat is concerned, it's this simplistic:
Use the $250,000 from a state Industry Partnership Grant to show Allentown School District high school seniors where the jobs are.
State Labor & Industry Department Secretary Nancy A. Walker announced the grant Thursday as part of the commonwealth’s $4.2 million grant program at a news conference at the I.B.E.W. Local 375.
“Whenever we connect with high school students, we need to get them before they graduate. That’s what this partnership is all about.”State Labor & Industry Department Secretary Nancy A. Walker
The grants will fund projects in the Lehigh Valley and throughout Pennsylvania, aimed at equipping workers with the skills needed for well-paying jobs in the state's thriving industries.
Among the projects is an initiative that will establish direct links between Allentown students and local employers seeking their talents.
“Whenever we connect with high school students, we need to get them before they graduate,” Walker said. “That’s what this partnership is all about.”
The announcement regarding grants was made in August by the state Labor & Industry Department.
The $4.2 million is being awarded in increments of up to $250,000.
Creating career pathways
Members of Workforce Board Lehigh Valley, labor leaders, school district administration, legislators and business leaders attended the event.
The Lehigh Valley submitted a grant titled “A Youth Inside-Out Manufacturing and Supply Chain Industry Partnership.”
“Our plan is to engage students in our schools and actually offer classes on manufacturing and the supply chain sector. We’ll have a credit-bearing curriculum in schools to be taught by actual employers.”Workforce Board Lehigh Valley Executive Director Nancy Dischinat
“In partnership with the Allentown School District, we’re targeting this sector because the workforce system is on fire, trying to meet the workforce needs,” Dischinat said.
“Our plan is to engage students in our schools and actually offer classes on manufacturing and the supply chain sector. We’ll have a credit-bearing curriculum in schools to be taught by actual employers.”
According to data provided by the Workforce Board Lehigh Valley, more than 32,000 Lehigh Valley youth ages 16-24 are not in the work force. About 16% live in poverty.
The program also will continue using career kiosks in high schools that are funded by the Labor & Industry Department to show career pathways.
The Lehigh Valley Youth Inside-Out Industry Partnership will ensure the future economic health of the region by targeting investment in the Manufacturing and Supply Chain (Transportation and Warehousing) Industry Sector, the Lehigh Valley’s largest and growing employer base.
The partnership will directly engage the region’s young people with efforts to create career pathways into the sector and eliminate barriers.
'Honor the core values'
“As Governor Shapiro said in his budget address, ‘This is the right time to invest so we can attract more young people, more businesses and more prosperity to Pennsylvania,’” Walker said.
The Industry Partnership program encourages partnerships among businesses in various sectors to address education and training, economic development needs, coordination of regional support teams, identifying community resources, and providing further opportunities for collaboration.
"This is needed more than ever."Jennifer Ramos, deputy superintendent, Allentown School District
Its focus is on sectors such as agriculture, information technology, robotics, healthcare, transportation and reshoring manufacturing operations.
Industry Partnerships help businesses:
- Identify their workforce, education and training, and economic development needs
- Coordinate regional support teams
- Identify public and community resources
- Identify opportunities for collaboration.
Applicants eligible for funding include business associations, community-based organizations, economic development entities, educational and post-secondary educational organizations, labor organizations, local workforce development boards and non-profit and non-governmental organizations.
“We’re so thankful for this grant,” Allentown Schools Deputy Superintendent Jennifer Ramos said.
“It is so hard to secure resources. But this grant will support our students and honor the core values of the district. This is needed more than ever.”
