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