On the occasion of National Skilled Trades Day, the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges (PACCC) and TradesFutures signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize an apprenticeship-ready partnership. The Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (M3C) and apprenticeship readiness program model is registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.
”Our curriculum and the Apprenticeship Readiness Program model is a proven strategy to connect participants to high quality skilled trades careers,” said Marina Zhavoronkova, Executive Director of TradesFutures. “TradesFutures and its network of union and industry partners are excited to support the development of this initiative – a first-of-its-kind, statewide partnership to implement the MC3 across an entire community college sector.”
TradesFutures, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization established by North America’s Building Trades Unions and industry partners, is dedicated to expanding pathways to union apprenticeships and family-sustaining construction careers, remove barriers for underrepresented communities, and championing proven practices that work.
Pennsylvania’s community colleges, through PA Works! are seizing on an opportunity to build a first-in-the-nation workforce development ecosystem for skilled trade workers. PA Works! looks to expand partnerships with career and technical high schools and solidify a collaborative policy and funding relationship with governments and industry leaders.
“The signing of the agreement with TradesFutures underscores our commitment to advancing workforce development across the Commonwealth through the PA Works! initiative,” said Dr. Quintin Bullock, President of the Community College of Allegheny County and Chair of the PACCC Board. “This partnership reflects the strength of our statewide workforce development strategy, PA Works! Pennsylvania’s community colleges are moving forward together in a coordinated effort to meet the evolving needs of our workforce.”
The Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry project that by 2030 Pennsylvania will need 300,000 skilled trade workers in high demand industry sectors of energy, technology, manufacturing, and healthcare. Within the next decade, labor reports reflect the likely retirement of nearly 40% of Pennsylvania’s current skilled trade workforce.
“This collaboration between our community colleges and TradesFutures will give many men and women access to careers in the building trades. By utilizing the MC3 curriculum, they will have a great foundation on which to build and further their careers,” said Robert S. Bair, President, PA State Building Trades.
The PACCC is already moving in this direction with a Technical Trades Consortium in the Expanded Northeast Region. Luzerne County Community College, Lehigh Carbon County Community College, Northampton Community College and Bucks County Community College are offering programs and training to meet the workforce needs of hyperscale data centers planned for Luzerne and Bucks Counties.
“We believe this agreement helps to inform a statewide strategy to develop a workforce development pipeline of skilled trade workers,” said Dr. Tuesday Stanley, President / CEO of the PACCC. “Systems have been somewhat fragmented. We see that landscape changing.
“It is our goal that PA Works! will codify, in Pennsylvania statute, partnerships among community colleges, career and technical high schools, and the building and construction trades industry,” she continued. “Doing so will magnify the preeminent role the community college sector plays in delivering workforce development programming in Pennsylvania.”
