Gov. Josh Shapiro recently signed an executive order creating the Commonwealth Workforce Transformation Program (CWTP).
The job-training program will provide work force development grants of up to $40,000 for each new employee hired and trained in Pennsylvania for projects in critical industries. It will provide a maximum of $400,000 per contract or award under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) or the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
The grants will be used to reimburse employers for wages and similar compensation, payroll taxes, and/or training costs paid to or on behalf of new employees. They also can be used for pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship program costs, costs associated with establishing training programs, and costs incurred for the use of a training facility.
In addition, grants can be used for reimbursement of supportive services that help people facing systemic barriers to employment to participate in training and employment such as child and dependent care, educational testing, housing, transportation, and work-related tools and clothing.
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry (L&I) will manage the CWTP. L&I Secretary Nancy A. Walker will appoint an executive director.
The state will reserve at least 3 percent of all IIJA and IRA funding for work force development and on-the-job training.