Berks Career and Technology Center to receive Training-to-Career grant for welding program

Gov. Tom Wolf announced Wednesday the approval of a grant for the Berks Career and Technology Center (BCTC) to support the last phase of a new welding facility.

“This Training-to-Career grant will enable Berks Career and Technology Center to significantly expand manufacturing training and job opportunities for Berks County residents,” Wolf said. “We commend BCTC’s work to help Pennsylvania build the strongest workforce in the nation and reaffirm our commitment to our commonwealth’s manufacturing industry.”

The grant will come from the governor’s Manufacturing PA initiative. It will provide $200,000 for the purchase of new welding equipment as well as the hiring of a welding instructor and an outreach coordinator.

The expansion enabled by the grant will allow BCTC to increase the size of both afternoon and evening welding classes from 25 to 40 students. The new welding facility will serve 16 public school districts, private schools, residents, and businesses in the Berks County area and is scheduled to open in 2020.

“Berks Career and Technology Center is thrilled to be a recipient of the Training-to-Career grant,” John Reedy, director of Business Affairs and Continuing Education at BCTC, said. “This grant will support our goals to continue building the number of skilled manufacturing workers in the area, supporting existing manufactures in Berks County, and providing an advantage for advanced manufacturing firms to consider locating in Berks. We appreciate Governor Wolf’s support and his commitment to the manufacturing industry.”