Strengthening Our Workforce: Shapiro Administration Invests $200,000 to Help High School Students in Northwestern PA Gain Manufacturing Skills

The MTTC grant will allow the Corry Area School District to establish a student-run manufacturing program that will benefit students from Crawford, Erie, and Warren counties.

Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2025-2026 budget proposal doubles down on his commitment to increasing skilled workers and closing workforce gaps across the Commonwealth.

Harrisburg, PA – Reinforcing the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to boosting job training opportunities and increasing workforce development, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger today announced a $200,000 Manufacturing PA Training-to-Career (MTTC) grant award to the Corry Area School District to enhance its Career and Technical Center by developing a student-run manufacturing enterprise.

The in-house program will give students from Crawford, Erie, and Warren counties new manufacturing skills while also meeting business needs for skilled workers in the region. The Corry Area School District’s Career and Technical Center will offer holistic technical and business classes that will fuel the program, including welding, machine technology, woodworking, building maintenance, marketing, accounting, and graphic communication. Students will gain experience in all facets of manufacturing from sales, quoting, and marketing, to production, quality inspection, and fiscal management.

Governor Josh Shapiro and his Administration are committed to developing a strong workforce to support our manufacturing industry through career training. The Governor’s 2025-2026 budget proposal places a special emphasis on investing in the future of our workforce.

“To develop the next generation of skilled workers, we have to meet students where they are and offer them opportunities to grow their skillset before entering the workforce,” said Secretary Siger. “The Shapiro Administration’s investment in this Corry Area School District program is a terrific example of our ongoing commitment to boost the skills of our current and future workers and further position Pennsylvania as a leader in job creation, innovation, and economic development.”

The MTTC funding will be used to purchase equipment, materials, and supplies, hire program staff, work with professional consultants to expand student knowledge of business ownership and leadership, and cover the costs of training and certifications to increase the number of students who directly enter manufacturing careers to help meet regional manufacturers’ need for workers.

“We are honored to receive the Manufacturing Pennsylvania Training-to-Career grant from DCED and the Shapiro Administration. It will be instrumental in helping us to start our Student Run Manufacturing Enterprise, which we are hoping to attract more students into our Business, Technology Education and Career & Technical classes,” said Nicholas Krasa, Supervisor of Vocational Education, Corry Area School District.  “Our students will gain the opportunity to start a company from the ground level, then design, build & market products. We are hopeful that the experience will help spark the interest of high school students in the manufacturing world.”

The MTTC program works collaboratively with local manufacturers to identify and teach missing essential skills for entry level applicants seeking manufacturing employment, engage youth or those with barriers to career opportunities in manufacturing, and or advance capacity for local or regional manufacturers.

The Governor’s proposed 2025-26 budget calls for over $160 million in total new and expanded investments to implement Pennsylvania’s 10-year Economic Development Strategy, increase competitiveness, strengthen communities, and address critical housing needs.

The budget includes:

• $12.5 million dedicated to WEDnetPA to expand our workforce and close critical workforce gaps
• $2 million for the creation of Career Connect to build internships at Pennsylvania companies
• $50 million to strengthen the innovation ecosystem and spur life science job growth
• $50 million investment in Housing Stock Restoration
• $10 million increase for the Act 47 Distressed Municipalities Program to support communities in financial recovery

Read more about Governor Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget proposal. Explore the Governor’s 2025-26 Budget in Brief here, or visit shapirobudget.pa.gov to learn more.

For more information about the MTTC program or DCED, visit the DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Governor’s Office, ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov, 717.783.1116
DCED, dcedpress@pa.gov

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