Posted: | June 20, 2023 11:07 AM |
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From: | Senator Christine M. Tartaglione and Sen. John I. Kane |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | Building a Better Future Grant Program |
In the near future, we plan to introduce legislation to establish the Building a Better Future Grant Program in the Department of Labor & Industry. The Program would make grants available to organizations that provide education and workforce training for young people who have been disconnected from other educational opportunities due to circumstances such as homelessness, having placed in foster care, disability or having dropped out. Participating organizations must not only provide the opportunity to attain a G.E.D. or high school equivalency, but skills training so that upon completion of the program, students are prepared to join the workforce with real job skills and opportunities for advancement. As the name indicates, construction and building trades will be the focus of the grant program. However, organizations may provide training in other important industries such as healthcare, customer service, and childcare. We need to build up our workforce in all these industries as our labor pool becomes constrained by an aging population in Pennsylvania, and this grant program will support a new, skilled workforce by giving 16-24 year-olds an opportunity to gain the education and skills necessary to quickly gain employment in sectors struggling to find qualified employees. Representative Hill-Evans is introducing companion legislation in the House of Representatives. We hope you will join us in this investment in our young people and the future of our Commonwealth by sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as SB850