30 Ways in 30 Days: Workforce Development

Workforce Development Cuts Will Hurt Businesses, Workers
 
Millions would be trimmed for industry partnerships and worker training activities in Governor's budget, while a Senate-passed budget would cut all funding. Businesses and advocates for workers say employers will have a harder time recruiting skilled workers.
 
HARRISBURG (June 30, 2009) - When the "Big Three" automakers required suppliers to obtain a standard certification several years ago, companies turned to the North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission Workforce Investment Board.
 
Art Aiello, representing the powdered metal industry partnership, told the Bradford Era that the auto suppliers would not have been able to obtain the necessary certifications without those training opportunities provided by North Central. And without the certification, the work would have gone elsewhere, and hundreds of jobs would have been lost. Read the Bradford Era article here.

Such workforce training opportunities may disappear if millions in proposed cuts to workforce development funds are included in the final state budget.

Heidi Powley, director of workforce development for the Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry, echoed support for the state's workforce development programs in a Times Observer article.
 
"Every year there are various cuts and eliminations to the state budget. This year is no exception," Powley told the newspaper. "The difference is, businesses are struggling more than ever to stay competitive, some are struggling just to stay afloat. To propose funding cuts to workforce development will absolutely prove to be a catastrophic to our region. We need a trained, skilled workforce."

Read the Times Observer story here.

Senate Bill 850 would cut $16.4 million that Governor Ed Rendell proposed to fund industry partnerships and industry partnership worker training activities in the 2009-10 Fiscal Year. Even the Governor's proposed funding levels for these programs are a more than $5 million cut from 2008-09 funding levels.
 
More than 6,300 employers participate in industry partnerships, which have served more than 70,000 employees since 2005.

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