Contact: Trevor Monk, dlipress@pa.gov
Pittsburgh – Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Nancy A. Walker today visited Pittsburgh to highlight the Shapiro Administration's ongoing investments in workforce development and promote the one-stop-shop services available to Pennsylvania workers and local employers through PA CareerLink® -- a network of 62 offices embedded in local communities and staffed with professionals who help workers find, obtain, and maintain family-sustaining employment. For employers, PA CareerLink® connects businesses directly with the skilled talent they need to fill critical positions in trades and emerging industries.
During her visit, Secretary Walker attended PA CareerLink® Pittsburgh's "Bridge to Work" Job Fair coordinated by PA CareerLink® Pittsburgh and Partner4Work – a workforce development organization that connects job seekers with career opportunities and helps employers find and retain skilled workers. The job fair featured more than 100 businesses from the Pittsburgh region.
"When Pennsylvanians have access to the support and resources needed to succeed in today's labor market, they are able to pursue good-paying, competitive career opportunities," Secretary Walker said. "PA CareerLink® Pittsburgh and Partner4Work are at the forefront of making meaningful connections with the next generation of Pennsylvania workers. I applaud their commitment to developing programs that are responsive to ongoing labor challenges and strengthen Pennsylvania's workforce."
Governor Josh Shapiro has identified workforce development as a top priority of the Administration through an expansion of job-training, career and technical education, and apprenticeship programs that give Pennsylvanians the freedom to chart their own course. Earlier this month, Governor Shapiro signed a new budget that invests $23.5 million in job training and vo-tech programs; $6 million in apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programming; and $3.5 million in funding for L&I's Schools-to-Work Program to develop and expand career pathways for underserved populations via partnerships between schools, employers, organizations, and the Commonwealth.
In addition to supporting the PA CareerLink® services available to Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth, L&I is working to identify the most common barriers that prevent Pennsylvanians from returning to work. Individuals who collected at least one Unemployment Compensation payment between 2020 and 2022 are invited to participate in a short survey that will assist the Department in identifying and addressing these barriers. Responses are confidential and the survey takes less than five minutes to complete.
The challenges of a tight labor market make PA CareerLink® services especially relevant today, especially in the Pittsburgh region. In June 2023, Allegheny County's unemployment rate was 3.3 percent. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in June 2023, Allegheny County had 10,685 more jobs available than unemployed workers.
"Given the Labor Day holiday and the kickoff of National Workforce Development Month, Partner4Work is proud to collaborate with our partners at Labor & Industry and PA CareerLink® Pittsburgh to demonstrate the innovative efforts underway to build strong talent pipelines for employers and on-ramps to successful careers for those who are looking to enter or re-enter the workforce," said Rob Cherry, Partner4Work CEO.
PA CareerLink® Pittsburgh prepares Pennsylvanians to meet the needs of businesses and matches employers with qualified, skilled candidates. Individuals can register for career and training services, search for job postings and upload their resumes to make themselves visible and available to thousands of employers.
Some of the free career-building and other services provided include:
- Resume building/posting/submitting workshops
- Mock interviews
- Job search and training assistance
- Adult education classes and workshops
- Career fairs
- Referral services to partners
SkillUp™ PA
PA CareerLink® also has more than 7,000 free unique virtual training modules available through SkillUp™ PA to help anyone in the Commonwealth gain new skills and advance their careers.
L&I launched SkillUp™ PA in 2021 to give Pennsylvania workers and employers access to a diverse portfolio of online courses to build skills in accounting and finance, clerical work, customer service, information technology, marketing, soft skills like communication, time management, and more.
SkillUp™ PA also offers a flexible, self-directed e-learning service that gives job seekers the opportunity to manage their own training with the goal of improving their marketability to prospective employers. This includes access to a free curriculum to obtain industry-recognized credentials, including CompTIA, Cybersecurity, Project Management, Human Resources, Microsoft Office Specialist and more.
To access SkillUp™ PA, register for a free account online with PA CareerLink®.
For more information on the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, please visit the website or follow L&I on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
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