By Jim McKay, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
Sunday, July 30,2000

New Century Careers, a nonprofit seeking to establish itself as a regional resource for manufacturing work force development, has been awarded a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.

The grant will help fund an advanced manufacturing education program for about 300 workers employed in metals-based industries.

The nonprofit, based in the Regional Enterprise Tower, Downtown, is working with a consortium of 78 southwestern Pennsylvania manufacturing firms to design curriculum. Classes are to begin early next year.

NCC President Paul Anselmo said the training will address immediate needs of two occupational areas --precision machining and manufacturing, and assembly and fabrication.

He cited surveys showing there are some 2,000 job openings in southwestern Pennsylvania for tool-and-die makers, machinists, tool grinders, welders, and assembly and fabrication machine.

The nonprofit has experience in job training and placement. Its MANUFACTURING 2000 program prepares workers for entry-level jobs as machinists, welders and electronics assembly workers.

Manufacturing employs about 163,000 people in 13 southwestern counties -- roughly 16 percent of the region's private-sector jobs.

NCC has grand goals centered around the need to recruit, develop and retain skilled manufacturing workers. They include assessing occupational need of employers, creating a pool of skilled labor, serving as a catalyst to upgrade training facilities and consulting on human resource issues.

Applications and fall classes schedules for MANUFACTURING 2000, the entry level program, are available by calling 1-800-277-8210.

This article is reprinted with the permission of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.