New Century Careers expands machinist training program

New Century Careers (NCC), a nonprofit organization devoted to providing workplace development skills, has expanded its machinist training program to Westmoreland County.

The year-round program will be offered in partnership with Eastern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center. Classes will be held on weekday evenings and are open for enrollment.

NCC provides up to 600 hours of training for free and offers job placement assistance. The organization works with more than 200 regional employers in need of skilled workers. NCC trains and places high school graduates 18 and older.

“Manufacturing is one of the highest demand sectors in business and industry here with a strong demand for machinists,” the center’s administrative director Todd Weimer said. “We want to fill the pipeline for these positions, matching our programs to workforce needs.”

In the next 10 years, 30,000 manufacturing jobs will need to be filled in southwestern Pennsylvania, according to Catalyst Connection projections. The Allegheny Conference forecasts the region will need 80,000 more workers by 2025.

The training program is partially funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s Manufacturing PA program.

NCC also offers training at the Tube City Center for Business and Innovation in McKeesport and
Training Innovation Center in Pittsburgh.