GOVERNOR ACKNOWLEDGES INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS AT BILL SIGNING CEREMONY
HARRISBURG – Flanked by legislators and various business and workforce supporters of Pennsylvania’s Industry Partnership program, Governor Tom Corbett signed copies of Senate Bill 552, at the state Capitol yesterday.
Senate Bill 552, sponsored by Senator Mike Brubaker from Lancaster County was recently unanimously passed by the General Assembly and officially became law on July 7, 2011. Brubaker’s legislation put into statute a workforce development program that has made Pennsylvania a national leader in workforce development and job training.
Industry Partnerships bring together businesses and workers within an industry to identify and address common workforce needs. Industry Partnerships allow businesses with first-hand knowledge of the skills workers need to direct training efforts toward those skills that provide jobs and keep Pennsylvania business competitive, while enhancing curriculum development, industry-recognized credentials and career pathways.
“Although today’s bill signing was ceremonial, it acknowledges the importance of this legislation and recognizes that Pennsylvania will stay competitive in the global marketplace if we continue to engage and support those programs that have proven successful,” said Senator Brubaker. “I appreciate the Governor’s support and recognition that Industry Partnerships need to be a permanent part of our workforce strategy,” Brubaker stated.
With combined financial support from the Commonwealth and from the employer community, Industry Partnerships have engaged over 6,300 businesses in training over 100,000 workers since 2005. Workers who received training through Industry Partnerships received an average 6.62% increase in wages in the first year following training.
“We salute Senator Brubaker and the Governor for recognizing the importance of a Pennsylvania program that has become a national model of excellence in workforce development initiatives,” stated Tony Ross, President of the United Way of Pennsylvania. “Industry Partnerships are a winning proposition for both employers and workers and help ensure workers will receive training for jobs that actually exist,” said Ross.
THE 2011-2012 PENNSYLVANIA GENERAL FUND BUDGET: FUNDING INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS
The Pennsylvania Fund for Workforce Solutions (PFWS) has sent letters to the Governor, members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly and Pennsylvania's Secretary of Labor & Industry requesting the restoration of funding for Pennsylvania's Industry Partnership program.
Since the legislature provided additional funding in 2005, Industry Partnerships have trained over 100,000 workers and have engaged over 6300 businesses in that effort. The $75 million in private sector matching funds these employers have contributed to the IP program demonstrates their commitment to this workforce strategy.
Unfortunately, state funding for the Industry Partnership program has declined since 2008-2009 due to the economic recession and slow recovery - from $20 million to $1.6 million in the 2010-2011 state budget. This is a reduction of over 90% despite strong support from business associations, individual employers, advocates for workers and the Pennsylvania legislature.
A recent cut from $7.6 million to $1.6 million resulted from an unfortunate decision under the previous Administration to have two separate line items in the budget with the largest one, "Training Activities" not clearly connected to the Industry Partnership program. These training funds were removed from the final budget and created a deficit situation for the Partnership program.
PFWS is asking that IP funding be restored to the previous $7.6 million level in the 2011-2012 state General Fund Budget to maintain the IP program in a robust way moving forward. Without these critical funds, IPs cannot continue to sustain necessary training activities.
If you would like to support the Industry Partnership program and IP funding please send a letter to Governor Corbett (click here) or to your Representatives (click here).
Senator Robert Casey Jr. Discusses Opportunities to Strengthen Federal Support for Industry Partnerships
Senator Robert Casey Jr. was the featured speaker in an August 4, 2011 conference call hosted by the Pennsylvania Fund for Workforce Solutions to discuss opportunities to strengthen federal support for industry partnerships.
You can listen to the full discussion here or download a podcast of the call to take with you (due to the size of the file it may 2 to 3 minutes to download).
GOVERNOR CORBETT SIGNS INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS INTO LAW
HARRISBURG, PA (July 8, 2011) — Pennsylvania's Industry Partnership Program became law yesterday along with 45 other bills recently passed by the General Assembly. Governor Corbett signed the Industry Partnership legislation making it officially state statute and completing what has been two years of legislative activity involving all four caucuses, two Governors, multiple state government agencies, and countless business and individual advocates and supporters.
With passage of SB 552 and funding for Industry Partnerships in the 2011 - 2012 General Fund Budget, Pennsylvania's nationally recognized workforce development program will continue for another year. For his part in this progress, Governor Corbett deserves congratulations for delivering quickly on his commitment to maintain the Industry Partnership program.
Industry Partnerships are supported by a wide variety of industries, employers and workforce development organizations. It is a triumph for pragmatic creativity and problem-solving among businesses, workers, and government.
Newspaper reporters who would like assistance identifying Industry Partnerships and participating businesses in their local area should contact Megan Smith at 717-238-7365 x206 or msmith@uwp.org.
The PFWS is part of the National Fund for Workforce Solutions, a network of 22 foundation collaborations across the country, each of which supports workforce partnership initiatives.
The United Way of Pennsylvania serves as the staff of the PFWS, and the Keystone Research Center provides staff support.
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