Pennsylvania College of Technology is one of 30 colleges and universities throughout Pennsylvania that have teamed up to train 18,000 employees in 18 months in Pennsylvania's first Guaranteed Free Training Program, a $9 million contract funded by the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).
WEDnetPA, the Workforce and Economic Development Network of Pennsylvania, has been formed to launch the free training program. WEDnetPA is made up of Pennsylvania's 15 community colleges, its 14 State System universities and Penn College.
Penn College's Technology Transfer Center will serve as the coordinating organization for business and industry funding applications. The Technology Transfer Center already has obtained $406,119 in Guaranteed Free Training funding to train 932 new employees at 15 companies throughout Pennsylvania.
Larry L. Michael, associate dean for the Technology Transfer Center, said that the Guaranteed Free Training Program is designed to strengthen Pennsylvania companies' competitiveness by improving the skill level of new employees for new and expanding manufacturing and technology-based companies.
Michael said state reimbursement for training will be up to $450 per new employee for credit or noncredit training and can be provided on-site at the business, at any of Penn College's campus locations or through distance learning technologies.
Heather Baldwin-McLean will serve as WEDnetPA coordinator for Penn College. She will work with the region's business and industry clients to administer funding and to develop training plans.
Pennsylvania companies or companies that have a significant presence in the state and which are manufacturing- or technology-based may qualify for the program. To receive funds, the company must have hired 12 or more new full-time (37.5 hours per week) employees within a six-month period. Employees receiving training must be Pennsylvania residents and must remain in their position for at least 180 days following completion of the training. Companies whose main business is point-of-sale retail are not eligible.
Interested businesses can call Baldwin-McLean at (570) 327-4775 or e-mail wednetpa@pct.edu.
More information about the program can be found on the Web at http://www.wednetpa.com/.