Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology receives grant to support welding training program

Gov. Tom Wolf recently announced that the Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology will receive a $200,000 grant through the Manufacturing PA initiative to support its post-secondary training program for certified welding and metal fabrication.

“This grant will enable the Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology to significantly expand manufacturing training and job opportunities for Mifflin and Juniata residents,” Wolf said. “We are excited to support the manufacturing workforce as it evolves to meet the demands of the 21st-century economy.”

The grant will support an initiative that will provide training opportunities for certified welding through collaboration with local manufacturers and identify and teach the skills that entry-level applicants need. Local manufacturing companies involved in the project include Overhead Door Corporation, Central PA Dock & Door and Meeker Equipment Co, Inc.

The funding will be used to retrofit an unused program space to create a stand-alone welding facility as well as to purchase of American Welding Society-recognized curricula, hire an instructor, and conduct outreach.

“All of us at The Academy are excited about what this funding means for our school and our community,” Mike McMonigal, supervisor of adult and post-secondary education at Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology, said. “Not only will this allow us to put the final touches on our newly expanded adult welding program, but it will also provide for free welding training to out-of-school youth in our area. With so much focus in the media about the skills gap and the need for skilled employees, this grant offers a solution for both job seekers and employers.”

The Pennsylvania Manufacturing Training-to-Career grant provides funding for training programs that help unemployed and underemployed individuals, as well as those with barriers, gain the skills they need to gain employment in the manufacturing sector. The Training-to-Career grant is part of the governor’s Manufacturing PA initiative.