Penn State New Kensington receives nearly $200,000 for technology lab

The Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) recently awarded Pennsylvania State University, on behalf of Penn State New Kensington, $186,446 through the Manufacturing Training-to-Career program to create a digital technology demonstration and learning lab at the Digital Foundry at New Kensington.

“Penn State New Kensington is pleased to work with the DCED to strengthen and accelerate our current plans for a hands-on demonstration and learning lab at the brand new Digital Foundry at New Kensington,” Sherri McCleary, Digital Foundry at New Kensington executive director, said. “Work under this grant will support the Digital Foundry’s vision to ‘improve lives and strengthen businesses through access to digital technologies’ and help to bring a unique asset to the workforce and manufacturing businesses in southwest PA.”

The lab is designed to address the world’s changing manufacturing and technology environment and the rapid digital transformation accelerated by the pandemic. It will provide digital technologies training.

The Digital Foundry at New Kensington’s mission is to drive learning and problem solving by applying technologies by focusing on education and workforce training, improving manufacturing competitiveness, and providing networking events to increase digital awareness for workers, businesses, academia, students, and the community.

The Manufacturing PA Training-to-Career program works with local manufacturers to identify and teach missing essential skills.