HARRISBURG — Centre County will benefit from more than $460,000 in recent state grants for workforce development and emergency services.
The Central PA Workforce Development Board was awarded $325,000 from the Department of Labor and Industry.
“Effective workforce training is critical to ensuring businesses have a qualified and diverse pool of applicants, but many businesses in our region face challenges when it comes to recruiting and training the workers they need to operate and expand their business,” state Rep. Paul Takac, D-Centre, said. “With this new funding, our regional workforce development board will have additional resources to help area employers to identify and overcome those challenges.”
The funding from this grant includes $175,000 for activities to assist businesses in identifying their priority workforce and training challenges, as well as $150,000 for the Central PA Agriculture Industry Partnership to host activities that will help businesses identify their workforce training challenges.
Additionally, $139,709 in funding for resources is coming to county first responders. The grant was awarded under the Fire Emergency Medical Services Grant Program.
“With tight budgets and limited resources, fire and EMS companies face a constant challenge keeping first responders properly equipped and trained,” Takac said. “Securing this new funding will help ensure that these frontline heroes have the equipment and training they deserve and that departments have the funding they need for facility repairs, recruitment and retention and other expenses.”
The funding for Centre County companies includes $16,952 for the Alpha Fire Company, $15,000 for Bellefonte Emergency Medical Services, $16,757 for the Boalsburg Fire Company, $15,000 for Centre LifeLink EMS Inc., $16,368 for Citizens Hook & Ladder Co. #1, $16,952 for the Howard Volunteer Fire Company #1 Inc., $14,618 for the Pine Glen Fire Company, $15,000 for Snow Shoe Ambulance & Rescue and $13,062 of the Snow Shoe Fire Company Borough.
The Fire and Emergency Medical Services Grant Program is directed by the Office of the State Fire Commissioner. Projects covered by the grant program include facility construction and renovation, equipment purchase or repair, debt reduction, training and certification of members, recruitment and retention and more.
