Two Pennsylvania organizations will receive federal support for training and technical assistance to help in developing small manufacturers, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced this week.
The Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association (PMA) will participate in the SBA’s Empower to Grow program (E2G), to help small manufacturers enter and increase their competitiveness in federal procurement and the defense industry supply chain.
The Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC) is establishing the Customizable Mobile Training (CMT) program to help small- and mid-size manufacturers in a three-county area of eastern Pennsylvania.
PMA will participate through a collaborative effort led by the Virginia Manufacturers Association Inc. (VMA), and the West Virginia Manufacturers Association. VMA will receive $4.8 million through which it will launch its new Path to Prime program.
David N. Taylor, President and CEO of PMA, said the initiative reflects his organization’s purpose.
“For over a century, PMA has stood for one proposition: that Pennsylvania’s manufacturers deserve the chance to compete and win, here in the Commonwealth and everywhere their capabilities can take them,” he said. “Too many capable Pennsylvania manufacturers have been locked out of the federal supply chain, not for lack of skill, but for lack of the training, credentials, and connections it takes to get in the door. Path to Prime removes those barriers at no cost to our members. It is exactly the kind of pro-growth partnership PMA exists to deliver: real capability, real contracts, real jobs.”
VMA’s new Path to Prime program will help small manufacturers become qualified federal suppliers. VMA made the announcement through its workforce development affiliate The Manufacturing Skills Institute (MSI).
“This award is especially significant because it represents the first collaboration of its kind among the Virginia Manufacturers Association, West Virginia Manufacturers Association, and Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association,” said Wes Smith, Executive Director of MSI.
“Together, we have created a new model of regional manufacturing cooperation focused on expanding Made in America opportunities for federal suppliers of manufactured goods and for Department of War Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers that support prime contractors,” he added. “By combining workforce development, digital engineering, cybersecurity readiness, and direct supply chain engagement, we can help more manufacturers successfully compete for federal business and strengthen domestic production capabilities.”
The SBA announcement said VMA has extensive experience providing hands-on, in-person technical assistance, tools, and training to small manufacturing businesses in the three-state area. It can provide manufacturing-related training and technical help to small businesses through MSI’s national credentialing system, its Virginia community college partnership network, and an integrated delivery model serving small manufacturers.
Through SBA’s E2G program, eligible U.S. small businesses will receive free courses, practical workshops, and one-on-one advising designed to expand operations, workforce, regulatory compliance, and competitiveness in government contracting.
Meanwhile, LCCC will receive $1.43 million to support businesses in Lehigh, Carbon and Schuylkill counties, territory in eastern Pennsylvania’s coal region and industrial areas including Allentown.
“By delivering customizable training in areas such as advanced manufacturing, mechatronics, electrical and mechanical systems, programmable logic controllers, electronics, smart manufacturing, and maintenance fundamentals, LCCC will improve small manufacturers’ efficiencies and productivity,” the SBA said.
Brandon Dopira, director of advanced manufacturing at the school, said: “By adding portable bench-top training units alongside our existing mobile lab, this funding allows us to deliver tailored, hands-on instruction – spanning advanced manufacturing, electrical and mechanical engineering, and electronics – right on-site to boost workflow and productivity.
“Crucially, by bringing upskilling opportunities directly to employers’ facilities, we remove traditional barriers to professional development, helping regional businesses upskill their existing talent, retain skilled workers, and build a more competitive workforce across the local industrial sector.”
The SBA grants involving Pennsylvania are among $50 million in funding announced Wednesday, which were awarded to 11 organizations to support re-industrialization efforts through technical schools and community colleges.
SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said the grants are part of an overall effort to “accelerate our nation’s industrial comeback.”
“These new E2G manufacturing grants build on our existing programs for small manufacturers, which make up 98% of all producers in America, creating a powerful network of advisors to rebuild our industrial leadership across critical industries while supporting our national and economic security,” she said.