The Manufacturers’ Association Awarded $250,000 Grant to Expand Advanced Manufacturing Pre-Apprenticeships

"This award helps us expand an employer-led pathway that gives students real exposure to modern manufacturing, meaningful credentials, and direct connections to apprenticeships and jobs," said Tom Palisin, Executive Director of The Manufacturers' Association. "By strengthening partnerships across schools, workforce organizations, and manufacturers, we're building the talent pipeline our region's companies need, and helping students launch careers that can support a family."

Through this grant, The Manufacturers' Association will deepen collaboration among schools, employers, intermediaries, and workforce partners to create clear on-ramps into registered apprenticeship, postsecondary training, and employment.

The Association's registered apprenticeship program for adults and employers has grown to nearly 200 active apprentices across 60 manufacturers in the region. Students participating in the pre-apprenticeship program gain advanced standing toward employment and entry into a high-demand, high-wage career, supporting the growth of the domestic manufacturing base.

In partnership with educational intermediaries, the York County Alliance for Learning and the Partnership for Career Development in the Capital Region, the project builds on a state-registered pre-apprenticeship approved in 2022 and supports workforce priorities aligned with the Commonwealth's Ten-Year Strategic Plan for Economic Development and Pennsylvania's broader workforce strategy.

Why This Matters: Regional Manufacturing Demand

Manufacturing remains a major economic driver in South Central Pennsylvania, with more than 2,500 manufacturers employing approximately 122,000 workers and generating an estimated $16 billion in annual economic output.

Over the next decade, the region is projected to need to replace 37,000 manufacturing workers due to retirements, exits, and growth, underscoring the urgency of expanding early career exposure, credential attainment, and work-based learning opportunities for students.

Program Highlights: Credentials and Advanced Standing

Students participating in the pre-apprenticeship earn industry-recognized credentials such as OSHA 10 and receive registered pre-apprenticeship credit, including classroom coursework that can count toward Related Technical Instruction hours in a manufacturing registered apprenticeship with an employer. The Association anticipates enrolling 200 students and engaging 1,000 students in manufacturing career exploration over the next two years with support from the grant.

Proven Track Record of Training and Connections to Careers

Since 2018, The Manufacturers' Association has enrolled and supported over 500 students through hands-on training, classroom instruction, mentorship, and direct connections to employment and apprenticeship opportunities.