Bucks County Community College receives $400K to expand advanced manufacturing ecosystem in Bucks County and surrounding region

On Wednesday, Bucks County Community College announced that the College has been awarded $400,000 through the PA Department of Community and Economic Development Manufacturing PA Training-to-Career grant program to provide free training and placement services to 50 Industrial Maintenance and Metalwork students.

The College has been the proud recipient of $700,000 in DCED funding since 2023 which has been used to create multiple awareness campaigns and will serve 90 students in the Industrial Maintenance and Metalwork programs, which boast a 90% placement rate in high-paying careers in advanced manufacturing.

“The Shapiro Administration is focused on growing our economy and building a Commonwealth where all Pennsylvanians can follow their own path to success,” said Director of Workforce Initiatives Gwen Ross. “Manufacturing has always been the backbone of Pennsylvania’s economy, and our investment in BCCC’s Industrial Maintenance and Metalwork Training programs will provide a classroom-to-career experience for students while meeting the needs of the region’s advanced manufacturers.”

The DCED grants will afford Bucks the opportunity to further strengthen the manufacturing ecosystem in Bucks County and surrounding areas through expansion of these training programs. DCED funding has enabled Bucks to have a greater reach in the Southeastern Pennsylvania region resulting in increased enrollment providing a pathway to high-tech jobs that are in high demand.

“We are grateful for our partnership with Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development,” said Dr. Patrick M. Jones, Bucks County Community College President & CEO. “The Training-to-Career grant funding supports our collective efforts to prepare the next generation of skilled workers for good-paying jobs in high-demand fields.”

    (Left-to-right) BCCC President & CEO Dr. Patrick M. Jones; BCCC Board of Trustees Chair Thomas J. Jennings; PA Department of Community and Economic Development Director of Workforce Initiatives Gwen Ross; BCCC Vice President for Workforce and Strategic Partnerships Tracy Timby; BCCC Associate Vice President, Center for Workforce Development, Susan Herring; and Executive Director of Workforce & Economic Development for the County of Bucks, Billie Barnes. (Credit: BCCC)
  The College’s Center for Workforce Development will continue its partnership with the Bucks County Department of Workforce & Economic Development and local manufacturers to bring quality training and employment opportunities to Bucks County and the surrounding region. Manufacturers have become dependent on the College’s graduates to fill their workforce needs. Together, Bucks will provide students with the hands-on experience to prepare graduates for jobs in manufacturing such as machinists, maintenance and mechanical technicians, and maintenance mechanics. Participants will earn industry-recognized credentials in OSHA10 and Forklift Safety. Students will also be exposed to job site tours, one-on-one career exploration with professionals in the industry, college credits, and a framework to pursue their degree, all while placing them in high-paying, long-term careers upon graduation.

The current cohorts of Industrial Maintenance and Metalwork students being funded by DCED began on September 3, 2024, and multiple cohorts will run through the end of 2025.

The free 12-week career training programs are held Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. in the College’s Center for Advanced Technologies (CAT) on the Epstein Campus at Lower Bucks in Bristol. The CAT is a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility offering job seekers access to high-quality career training in advanced manufacturing and other programs.

Requirements for the program include:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or possess a Green Card
• Must be at least 18 years old
• Must have a high school diploma or GED
• Must pass an interview, aptitude test, drug screening and background check (determined on a case-by-case basis)
• Daily attendance and punctuality
• Must have reliable transportation to commute to training

For more information about this program, contact Susan Herring at 267-685-4827 or [email protected].