HARRISBURG – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro delivered his annual budget address, outlining his administration’s priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. The Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association (PWDA) welcomes the governor’s focus on workforce development, and we look forward to working with the administration to ensure that every Pennsylvanian has access to the skills and training they need to thrive in today’s economy.
“More and more Pennsylvanians are seeking new pathways to build a good career and a good life in Pennsylvania. Continued investment in apprenticeships, career and technical education, and workforce development will help job seekers, students, and workers get the skills they need in their communities. These investments will help businesses get the workers they need to grow and thrive. We know that our workforce is changing – many Pennsylvanians are retiring – and we need to make sure the next generation is trained and ready to lead our Commonwealth into the future. These investments are an important step in that direction.
We also look forward to partnering with the administration and the legislature on key policies and programs that can help local workforce development boards and make our workforce stronger.
First, many Pennsylvanians are retiring, and we need workers to replace them. We need more investments in youth workforce development, including both in-school and community opportunities for youth across Pennsylvania. The demand for these opportunities already exists. In Philadelphia alone, more than 10,000 young people remained on wait lists during summer youth programming due to lack of funding. Pennsylvania’s demographic shift is clear, our population is aging, and we need to make sure young people are ready for the workforce.
Second, we need to connect schools and training to the needs of businesses. Too often, students and adult learners start learning or training without understanding the career paths available to them. We need to make career paths clear and accessible, uplifting ‘earn and learn’ models that provide practical, hands-on experiences for job seekers. For example, we can remove barriers to a prolonged registration process of pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs in Pennsylvania. Our policymakers also need to empower Pennsylvanians to make informed career choices and enhance the education-workforce connection by mapping industry-recognized credentials and career paths.
Third, we need to continue investments in career and technical education – both the general subsidy and the equipment grant. Our career and technical education centers are seeing greater demand – more students and their families want a robust CTE education in our schools. We need to make sure that state funding keeps up with demand so we can eliminate waitlists and make sure that every student who wants to pursue an alternative pathway at our schools has the chance to do so.
Fourth, we need to Free the Data. Our workforce development professionals design strong programs and interventions for students, job seekers, workers, and businesses, but they too often rely on outdated data. Our workforce boards have to wait 12 to 24 months to get economic or workforce data. That’s too long. We need more timely and transparent data so we can build strong, responsive programs.
Pennsylvania should have the nation’s strongest workforce. And we are excited to work with the Administration and the legislature to implement simple, pragmatic policies that can help job seekers, students, workers, and businesses grow and thrive in our commonwealth.”
The Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association (PWDA) serves as the voice of the Pennsylvania workforce development system and as a statewide clearinghouse for workforce development information. Known for Pennsylvania’s premier annual workforce development gathering every spring, we provide development and capacity building opportunities to workforce development professionals, local workforce development boards (WDBs), and other stakeholders while continuing proactive advocacy efforts on behalf of Pennsylvania’s workforce development system. Learn more by visiting https://www.pawork.org.
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