Gov. Wolf announces funding for manufacturing internship, pre-apprenticeship programs in Western Pennsylvania

Gov. Tom Wolf announced Wednesday that Holy Family Institute (HFI) Nazareth Prep High School in Allegheny County will receive $200,000 in funding through Pennsylvania’s Training-to-Career program.

“HFI Nazareth Prep already offers an impressive curriculum introducing students to the manufacturing industry, and this funding will help them expand on those efforts,” Wolf said. “Some students are ready to jump into a career right after graduation, and this collaborative effort with local manufacturing businesses will encourage them to explore their options, whether through postsecondary education or entering the workforce.”

HFI Nazareth Prep will use the funding to expand its developing manufacturing internship and pre-apprenticeship programs for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years.

The school offers programs that include project-based learning and an internship program that pairs students with local companies during all four years of high school. Last year, the school became the first high school in western Pennsylvania to offer a certified pre-apprenticeship program. In the 2018-19 school year, more than 90 local businesses and organizations hosted HFI Nazareth Prep interns and pre-apprentices.

“The Pittsburgh region’s manufacturing industry has a rich history and offers a bright future for the young people of southwestern Pennsylvania,” Holy Family Institute and Nazareth Prep Executive Vice President and COO Michael Sexauer said. “With this funding, we will grow the number of manufacturing partners in our pre-apprenticeship and internship programs. We listened to students and their families who want to explore options outside of college enrollment. Whether they are preparing to step right into a good-paying job or to better handle college-level work, this funding will support training and education to best prepare them for future opportunities.”