Lower Gwynedd, Pa. – दिसंबर 21, 2022 — Senator Maria Collett (D-12 Montgomery) has announced $1,500,000 in PASmart Industry Partnership Grants for workforce development projects serving Montgomery County. Administered through the Department of Labor & Industry, these funds will strengthen local job markets through training, outreach, industry collaboration and more.

“The manufacturing, agriculture, construction and technology sectors are among the biggest and fastest growing parts of Pennsylvania’s economy,” said Senator Collett. “This grant funding will help ensure that Pennsylvania remains an attractive place for businesses and workers to call home by connecting job seekers with the information, tools and training they need to succeed in these family-sustaining, high-demand fields.”

Awardees serving Montgomery County include:

  • AgConnect (Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia) $250,000 to provide technical assistance for farm and food business partners in the region; create youth pipeline development and provide hands on experience for high school students; implement an Innovative Workplace Solutions grant program; and provide project management for the PA Cheese Guild and Growing Roots Partners’ Good Food Fest.
  • Manufacturing Alliance of Chester and Delaware Counties (Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Montgomery, York) – $250,000 to recruit and retain employees for participating companies, with a focus on youth and parent outreach and connecting women to careers in manufacturing.
  • Smart Energy Initiative of Southeastern PA (Berks, Bucks, Chester, Dauphin, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, York) – $250,000 for consumer and business education about different energy sources, classes about newer building codes, and plans to train 60 employees.  

  • Southeastern Manufacturing Pennsylvania Alliance (SEPMA) (Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia) – $250,000 to exchange information and develop local supply chains with other manufacturers, introduce youth to careers in manufacturing, develop a pipeline of diverse workers, and explore best practices for training curriculums.
  • The Innovative Technology Action Group (ITAG) (Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia) – $250,000 for employer outreach, technology education events for IT professionals, incumbent worker training, and youth career exploration activities including Girls’ Exploring Tomorrow’s Technology. 
  • Opportunity for All Pennsylvania Construction Industry Partnership (Statewide) – $250,000 to hire a project manager that will research and develop education materials on best practices around apprenticeship readiness, diverse pipelines, and local hire/community benefit agreements. They will also hold a statewide convening to highlight best practices within the industry and push to establish “Intro to the Trades” programs to diversify the pipeline to unionized construction jobs.

More information about the PASmart Industry Partnership Grant program can be found online.

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