State to provide $500,000 to bolster manufacturing workforce through training program

Pennsylvania’s Manufacturing Training-to-Career (MTTC) program recently awarded Rhoads Industries and Workforce Solutions for North Central PA $500,000 in funding to develop programs that bring awareness to careers and opportunities within the state’s manufacturing industry.

MTTC awarded Rhoads Industries $300,000 to develop and launch a regional workforce development pilot program in Southeastern Pennsylvania to address critical trade skills needed to advance the U.S. Navy’s labor force recruitment, development, and retention priorities.

The Navy has a need to attract and keep civilian workers and cut down on the number of contractors.

The program will partner with the U.S. Navy Shipbuilding Industrial Task Force and the Project Executive Office of the Columbia Class Submarine program.

MTTC awarded North Central PA $200,000 to launch an internship program to assist regional manufacturing employers in finding skilled workers to fill entry-level and skilled positions.

The program will educate high school, college, and technical school students on the industry and the available career opportunities. It will have 50 participants. MTTC grants support projects that advance manufacturing, help with job placement, or result in short-term work readiness.

Since 2017, the program has invested more than $12 million and funded 56 projects.