Department of Labor and Industry (L&I) Secretary Jerry Oleksiak recently toured Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center in New Stanton and discussed the importance of investing in job training.
“For businesses to grow and thrive, they must have well-trained, highly skilled individuals who can meet the challenges of today’s high-tech jobs,” Oleksiak said. “Education centers like Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center combine classroom education with hands-on training on industry-relevant equipment to ensure that students, adult learners, and displaced workers are equipped to meet local employers’ needs.”
The center offers 23 career and technical education programs for 1,000 high school students from ten sending school districts as well as numerous training programs for adults.
“Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center students have a head start on their careers,” Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center’s Adult Education Coordinator Michelle DeLuca said. “Our students earn Industry Credentials, participate in Cooperative Education, receive college credits, and have the opportunity to enroll in apprentice programs.”
L&I highlighted the PASmart workforce development initiative, which it said has helped to increase the number of career and technical education (CTE) students earning industry-recognized credentials and the number of credentials earned by students enrolled in CTE programs. Gov. Tom Wolf has secured $70 million for PAsmart over two years, including $40 million for science and technology education and $30 million for apprenticeships and job training programs, L&I said.