L&I Secretary Berrier visits Philadelphia workforce development center

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On Thursday, Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Jennifer Berrier visited the Philadelphia OIC, a workforce development and job-training center.

The Philadelphia Region Hospitality and Entertainment Industry Partnership, a project supported by the Wolf Administration’s PAsmart initiative, recently invested in the region’s hotel and restaurant workforce.

L&I awarded a $175,000 Industry Partnership grant for various activities related to workforce development, such as contracting, marketing, recruiting, supportive services, and training.

“Pennsylvania employees and employers in every industry felt the pandemic’s impact, but few industries experienced an upheaval as dramatic as that experienced by restaurants, hotels, venues, and others within the hospitality and entertainment industries,” Berrier said. “Industry leaders who invest in their workers – particularly with educational opportunities that lead to better-paying jobs – will be rewarded many times over with the loyalty of a workforce that has more choices today than perhaps at any time in recent history.”

Founded in 2019, the Philadelphia Region Hospitality and Entertainment Industry Partnership focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to facilitate the upward mobility of historically marginalized populations in the southeast region.

L&I has awarded nearly $4.8 million statewide to 26 industry partnerships with plans to meet local and regional workforce needs.