Pennsylvania Gov. Wolf Announces $1.6 Million in Business-Education Partnership Program Grants

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 4, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Wolf, in conjunction with the Department of Labor & Industry, today announced 15 recipients of Business-Education Partnership (BEP) Program grants totaling $1.6 million.

In October 2014, the Pennsylvania Workforce Investment Board recommended a portion of the Workforce Investment Act discretionary monies from fiscal year 2013-14 be used to fund the Business-Education Partnerships program. These partnerships connect local businesses with school districts to promote job opportunities and career pathways to increase awareness of in-demand technical careers. The partnerships connect schools, employers and students to provide career-related experiences and exposure opportunities through soft skills development, internships, workplace shadowing, and career mentoring, all with the goal of engaging more students in the need for technical skills required by employers.

"The BEP grant program is another great example of workforce development and business partnerships that can create middle-class jobs in Pennsylvania," said Gov. Wolf. "These will work toward strengthening the ties between the commonwealth's business communities and schools, and will allow Pennsylvania students the opportunity to explore potential careers in depth."

A total of $2.2 million Workforce Investment Act state set-aside dollars were available to each of the 22 local Workforce Investment Boards (LWIBs). Twenty of the LWIBs applied for funding.  Each grant award is $100,000, with the exception of Montgomery and Bucks County WIB as the two counties are working collaboratively and receiving $200,000.

"Labor & Industry is proud to be able to facilitate this funding and to foster the essential relationship between students and employers," L&I Acting Secretary Kathy Manderino said. "Getting Pennsylvania's young people started out on the right foot in their careers is an important first step and the Business-Education Partnership program is an excellent tool in that effort."

MEDIA CONTACT: Sara Goulet, 717-787-7530

Following is a list of LWIB grant recipients and their BEP projects.

Central Workforce Investment Board: Business and Education Partnerships of the Central Region: Priming Generation Z for 21st Century Careers

Montgomery/Bucks County Workforce Investment Boards: Business and Education Partnerships of Bucks and Montgomery Counties

Lehigh Valley Workforce Investment Board: Lehigh Valley Pathways Initiative

Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board: The Philadelphia Business Education Career Awareness Project

Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board: Pathways to Careers: A continuum of youth services

Southern Alleghenies Workforce Investment Board: Career Connections: Educators and Students Connecting with Employers

Westmoreland/Fayette Workforce Investment Board: Westmoreland-Fayette Education Partnership

Berks County Workforce Investment Board: Students Engaged in the Workforce

Tri-County Workforce Investment Board: Tri-County Business-Education Partnership

Lackawanna Workforce Investment Board: Strategic Unified Projects Empowering Reality (SUPER)

West Central Workforce Investment Board: West Central Job Partnership NW 145 Business Education Grant

Chester County Workforce Investment Board: Chester County Business-Education Partnership

Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board: Business and Education Working Together in Luzerne Schuylkill

Pocono Mountain Workforce Investment Board: Pocono Counties Business-Education Partnership

Lancaster Workforce Investment Board: Expanding Business-Education Partnership Activities in Lancaster County

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

Related Links

http://www.governor.state.pa.us