Now accepting applications for Learn & Earn 2024

U.S. Department of Labor awards Partner4Work, partner organizations, nearly $8 million to recruit, retrain dislocated mature workers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PITTSBURGH (September 26, 2018) — The U.S. Department of Labor awarded Partner4Work (P4W), other partner cities of Midwest Urban Strategies (MUS), and other western PA workforce boards nearly $8 million in Trade and Economic Transition Dislocated Worker grant funding to help mature dislocated workers reconnect with employment in growth occupations and industries.

“With a predicted shortfall of nearly 80,000 workers in the Pittsburgh region alone, finding opportunities to engage mature workers who have struggled to reconnect to the workforce is critical to the continued vitality of this region,” said Earl Buford, Partner4Work CEO.

“But this challenge is not unique to Pittsburgh or any one city or state. Like Pittsburgh, communities across the country have been impacted by the transition from a blue-collar/brawn manufacturing-based economy to an economy deriving from technology. Finding ways to tap into the skills, experience, and leadership of mature workers is critical to fill the gap and pave the way for the next generation.” 

The $7.85 million grant award will be used for P4W and partnering workforce boards to coordinate and implement a regional strategy to recruit mature workers that have experienced a dislocation in sectors negatively impacted by technology and automation. Specifically, partners will use pre-apprentice and Registered Apprenticeship, customized, just-in-time training, and other “earn while you learn” tools to develop clearly articulated best practice strategies and tactics to engage and retrain mature workers with new skill sets and gain reemployment in sectors including Healthcare, Transportation and Logistics, Information Technology, Financial Services, and Advanced Manufacturing.  

As fiscal agent of these funds, P4W will retain nearly $2.5 million in programmatic and administrative funds to deploy in the Pittsburgh region. Other partnering workforce boards and organizations include MUS partners — Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio, Cleveland Cuyahoga County Workforce Development Board, Employ Indy (Indianapolis), Center of Workforce Innovations (Gary/Valparaiso, Indiana), Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas; Western Pennsylvania workforce boards — Southwest Corner, Westmoreland Fayette, and Tri-County; the Council for Adult Experiential Learning (CAEL).

“By serving the region collectively, deploying funds strategically, and leveraging the best thinking and best practices, we are bringing the comprehensive force of our partners to the table to build pathways to opportunities across the region in a thoughtful way,” said Mark Latterner, Partner4Work Chair and Market President, Western PA, Citizens Bank.

About Partner4Work
Nationally recognized for innovation, Partner4Work, formerly Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board, is the workforce development organization that connects funding, expertise and opportunities for employers, job seekers, agencies, and policymakers to develop a thriving workforce in the Pittsburgh area. As stewards of more than $21 million in public and private workforce funds, Partner4Work oversees and funds workforce programs for adults, dislocated workers and youth; educates the community through labor market analytics; and implements innovative solutions to the region’s systemic workforce challenges. More information is available at www.partner4work.org.

About Midwest Urban Strategies
Midwest Urban Strategies represents a coordinated effort on behalf of 13 Department of Labor urban workforce development boards to marry traditional workforce development practices with economic development.

Through intentional collaboration, leveraging stakeholders and efficient and creative use of resources, our strategy is to retain and grow local talent and generate a greater return on investment for our employer partners and the workforce system. As representatives from urban epicenters, the challenges and opportunities we experience by serving diverse populations – culturally, socially, and economically, require a unique set of strategies and tactics to connect people to the changing expectations and needs of employers. For more information visit us online at midwesturbanstrategies.com or follow us on Twitter @midwestworkers.

Contact:  Jen Pajewski, Partner4Work, 412-552-7098

About Partner4Work

Nationally recognized for innovation, Partner4Work delivers workforce solutions for Pittsburgh and Allegheny County to ensure the current and future needs of businesses and job seekers are met. As stewards of more than $25 million in public and private workforce funds, Partner4Work oversees and funds workforce programs for adults, dislocated workers, and youth; educates the community through robust labor market analytics; and implements innovative solutions to the region's systemic workforce challenges. Partner4Work bridges the gap between people looking for work and companies in need of talent. More information is available at www.partner4work.org.