Labor & Industry Secretary Sandi Vito recently visited Westmoreland County to promote industry partnerships in PA. The continuation of Industry partnership funds have been threatened due to state budget issues. Industry partnerships provide training dollars for incumbent workers in local businesses. The monies also allow for educational awareness programs geared to encouraging students to consider careers in specific industry clusters, like the Building and Construction Trades. This year, the Building and Construction Industry Partnership funded three camps for middle school students to let them experiment with the trades.

Ms. Vito discussed the need to continue funding the seventy-seven industry partnerships to assist in feeding the workforce pipeline and improve the skills sets of our existing workforce. In essence, partnerships provide the training necessary to keep PA competitive in the global economy. Ms. Vito was joined by a panel consisting of members of Building and Construction Trades Industry Partnership who are working closely with Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center to improve business and education ties. Jason Koss, Director of Industry Relations for the Constructor’s Association of Western PA; Steve Columbus, Administrative Manager of Western PA Operating Engineers Joint Apprenticeship and Training Program and Robert Bollinger, 2009 graduate or Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center and a new apprentice with the Western PA Operating Engineers described how the interaction of the partnership and the Career and Technology Center has been a benefit to both institutions.

The June 15th event was well attended by concerned employers. Ms. Vito urged everyone to write a letter to their legislators requesting that Industry Partnerships remain a part of the budget. Her visit coincided with the kickoff of Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center’s Construction Camp. Vito’s campaign to salvage funding led her to five counties in Pennsylvania.