Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Deputy Secretary for Workforce Development Eileen Cipriani highlighted Gov. Tom Wolf’s PAsmart proposal to boost opportunities for career and technical education (CTE) while visiting the Franklin County Career and Technology Center (CareerTech).
“Promoting career and technical education programs like these at Franklin County CareerTech ensures that we have a job-ready workforce to meet local employers’ needs,” Cipriani said. “In addition to academic proficiency and solid technical training, the center also provides students with employability skills to build a firm foundation for successful careers or post-secondary education upon graduation.”
During her visit, Cipriani toured some of CareerTech’s career and technical offerings, including Allied Health, Transportation, and Construction program labs and met with students from CareerTech’s Construction Academy who are currently participating in the construction of school’s Practical Nursing Training Center on campus.
“It is our goal that by 2025, 60 percent of Pennsylvanians will have some form of postsecondary education and training,” Cipriani said. “Governor Wolf has proposed historic new investments through PAsmart to improve access for Pennsylvania students and workers to education, training, and career readiness programs. These new investments create a pool of highly-skilled workers for employers and will help students and job seekers obtain the skills they need to obtain good, family sustaining jobs.”
In the 2018-19 budget, Wolf included PAsmart as a new workforce development proposal to improve coordination and services across commonwealth agencies. Through the proposal, $25 million would be invested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and computer science education at all levels. An additional $10 million would also be invested into the development of CTE and STEM career pathways and employer engagement.
“The support that Governor Wolf is proposing for career and technical education through PAsmart is needed, and very much appreciated,” Jim Duffey, administrative director of the Franklin County Career and Technology Center, said. “Our goal is to provide a high level of skilled training for our students that is necessary to enter into careers that are in demand within local industries.”