The Pennsylvania House of Representatives recently passed House Bill 2230 to establish Pennsylvania’s industry partnerships under law.

Labor and Industry Secretary Sandi Vito encouraged the Senate to promptly consider and pass the measure, which will help continue successful workforce programs that are creating a more highly skilled workforce.

“Pennsylvania’s industry partnerships are a proven and valuable workforce and economic development tool that brings together businesses and workers in similar industries for the common purpose of improving the economic security of workers and the competitiveness of businesses in certain industries,” Vito said.

Team Pennsylvania Foundation founded the Industry Partnership program initially in 2004.

Team PA President & CEO Rich Hudic said the industry partnership program is a great Foundation success story that should continue to grow as a way to help industry address its workforce needs.

Hudic said industry partnerships can identify specific training needs and skill gaps, help connect young people to careers, help educational and training institutions arrange their curriculum to meet business demands, address worker recruitment and retention, develop career ladders within companies, highlight best practices, and promote communication among companies. Across Pennsylvania, nearly 6,200 employers from 20 industries are in 72 active industry partnerships; with more than 75,000 workers trained.

During a recent Foundation board meeting, Vito gave an update on the legislation and asked the board members to contact their respective state legislators to voice their support for a “worthwhile initiative” that she said has been “a huge success” for the commonwealth. Vito thanked Team PA for making the initial risk investment to jumpstart the Industry Partnership program and emphatically stated it’s a worthwhile investment.

“Industry partnerships have become the cornerstone of our workforce development efforts in Pennsylvania, and I look forward to working with the Senate to make this program a permanent part of our economic future,” Vito said. “The industry partnership initiative is a nationally recognized, award-winning initiative that advances workers’ skills, increases employees’ wages and improves our state’s position as a national workforce and economic leader. This is exactly the type of program we must continue to support in order to strengthen our economic recovery.”