Governor Wolf announced the approval of a new apprenticeship grant to Bosch Rexroth Corporation, an engineering company in Bethlehem that supports mechanical and plant engineering challenges around the world. The grant builds on the governor’s commitment to expanding job training opportunities for Pennsylvanians.
“As Pennsylvania’s workforce ages, we need to support companies that are developing innovative solutions to training younger talent,” Governor Wolf said. “When companies take an issue like retiring talent and turn it into an opportunity to strengthen their workforce, it helps the company, it helps its workers, and it helps Pennsylvania.”
The $49,500 grant will assist the company with implementing its apprenticeship program, creating a succession plan for specific positions that require specialized knowledge. Bosch Rexroth will identify positions that will require succession by looking ahead to the next two to five years and work with regional universities and career and technology centers to identify possible successors. The company will then pair those successors with mentors to give them the necessary skills to succeed in their positions.
“Our strength is and will continue to be our associates, and this training for those associates will help to ensure that Bosch remains at the forefront of innovation,” said Richard Cory, director of human resources at Bosch Rexroth. “We thank organizations such as Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation and DCED. Without their support, it would not have been possible to be awarded funding for this training program.”
Apprenticeships are a key component of Governor Wolf’s $30 million PAsmart initiative. PAsmart includes a $10 million investment in apprenticeships and job training. It will expand apprenticeships in traditional and non-traditional occupations through the Wolf Administration’s Apprenticeship Training Office (ATO) and encourage businesses, community colleges and other higher education providers to expand registered apprenticeships and work-based learning experiences for adults.
