Career Readiness in Pennsylvania
Career Readiness Mini-Grants
In June 2017, Team Pennsylvania was awarded a grant from the PA Dept. of Labor & Industry (L&I) to fund career readiness projects in schools and school districts as a part of their K-12 school counseling and career service plans, which are required under state regulation Chapter 339. In conjunction with L&I and the Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units (PAIU), Team PA launched our Career Readiness Mini-Grants project. In total, $270,000 was available to be distributed throughout the nine IU regions that comprise the Statewide System of Support.
Read the Final Report from the 2017-2018 school year here.
In 2018, Team Pennsylvania again partnered with L&I to award $180,000 to 41 school districts across the commonwealth. The grants will help students learn about career opportunities and create stronger connections between schools and community partners. Grantees are required to work with their Local Workforce Development Boards (LWDBs) and ground their work in regional labor market needs. The career readiness activities funded by the mini-grants include:
- Conducting work-based learning experiences, job shadowing, and field trips to job sites;
- Providing online programs that assist students with career awareness and exploration;
- Facilitating professional development for educators;
- Hosting career fairs, guest speakers, and mock interview programs;
- Establishing, scaling, or sustaining career pathways; and
- Educating/engaging parents/guardians about high-demand industries in the region.
“We proudly support these career readiness projects, which help to build a bridge between school and real-world work experience,” said L&I Secretary Jerry Oleksiak. “Students need to explore their career options early, with hands-on training, so that they are well-prepared as they move into the workforce and post-secondary education.”
Read the Final Report from the 2018-2019 school year here.
Below is a complete list of school districts that were awarded a 2018 mini-grant:
| District |
|---|
| Allegheny Valley School District |
| Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District |
| Annville-Cleona School District |
| Austin Area School District |
| Blairsville-Saltsburg School District |
| Clairton City School District |
| Colonial School District |
| Dallas School District |
| Deer Lakes School District |
| Eastern York School District |
| Ferndale Area School District |
| Greensburg Salem School District |
| Hamburg Area School District |
| Huntingdon Area School District |
| Kutztown Area School District |
| Lake-Lehman School District |
| Lewisburg Area School District |
| Meyersdale Area School District |
| Middletown Area School District |
| New Brighton Area School District |
| Norristown Area School District |
| Northampton Area School District - Moore Elementary School |
| Northampton Area School District - Siegfried Elementary School |
| Northeast Bradford School District |
| Northwestern School District |
| Norwin School District |
| Philipsburg-Osceola School District |
| Rockwood Area School District |
| Saint Clair Area School District |
| Salisbury Township School District |
| Seneca Valley School District |
| Shamokin Area School District |
| Souderton Area School District |
| Southern Tioga School District |
| Trinity Area School District |
| Valley View School District |
| Wallenpaupack Area School District |
| Waynesboro Area School District |
| West Chester Area School District |
| West Middlesex Area School District |
| Williamsburg Community School District |