Pittsburgh Review

Last month, Gov. Tom Wolf announced that $297,000 in funds through the Pre-Apprenticeship and Apprentice Grant Program will be going to Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 354 to increase apprenticeships across Pennsylvania.

“Supporting Local 354’s apprenticeship program will help develop talented workers for in-demand careers in the commonwealth,” Wolf said in a press release from his office. “Apprenticeship programs like this one allow Pennsylvanians to earn while learning the skills they need to get a secure, good-paying job. We are proud to have supported many of these programs that benefit workers and businesses alike.”

There is a growing demand for this type of work in Pennsylvania, the release said. The funds will help for training and apprenticeships in 14 counties including Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Fayette, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Somerset, Westmoreland, and parts of Green and Washington.

The apprentices will be taught pipefitting, welding, plumbing and HVAC. They will also receive training while in the workplace with supervision from experienced journeymen. Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 354 was established in 1972 and has approximately 600 journeymen and apprentices. The funding will allow the organization to continue its five-year apprenticeship program.

“Local 354’s apprenticeship program helps bridge the gap and provides the workforce with qualified and well-trained employees,” Tim Custer, Local 354 business manager, said in the release. “We are so pleased to have received this funding.”

Wolf has invested $28 million in apprenticeship programs through the Department of Labor and Industry’s Apprenticeship and Training Office. He has also invested $11.7 million through the Department of Community and Economic Development Pre-Apprentice and Apprenticeship Grant Program. This is vital for employers and potential workers in Pennsylvania, and it also helps with talent recruitment and learning while in the workplace.

The average graduate apprentice starts at $70,000 per year and has the potential to make $300,000 more than other workers during their career, the release said.