New executive order to create 10K new jobs in Pennsylvania: Gov. Shapiro
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was in Philadelphia Wednesday morning, touting a new executive order that he claims will create up to 10,000 jobs. The governor visited Steamfitters Local Union 420 in Northeast Philadelphia to announce his Commonwealth Workforce Transformation Program.
The plan calls to invest up to $400 million over the next five years in workforce training and development.
Shapiro said the state is set to get billions from the Feds to rebuild roads, shore up broadband and tackle climate change, but added that they lack the workers to make it happen.
"We're collectively struggling to find enough workers to do all of the work of tomorrow and seize on this moment where we have such a significant amount of federal funding," Shapiro said.
The commonwealth is looking to specifically fund apprenticeships, like the ones at Steamfitters 420.
"When I was asked to speak," I was kind of surprised," said Danny Sansom.
Sansom was surrounded by state and union leaders Wednesday and has been in the Steamfitters 420 apprenticeship program for about five years now. He said it has completely changed his life.
"I've gained a career, I bought my first house, I got married [and] I became a father," Sansom said.
It's people, like Sansom, that Gov. Shapiro is looking to get more of. It's why he signed a new executive order, creating the Commonwealth workforce transformation program.
"We'll eliminate the arbitrary barriers for those who have been told in the past that you must have a college degree, and instead show that we value skills and training and work experience here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," Shapiro said. "Now, thanks to this executive order, we are going to open the doors of opportunity for 10,000 more workers here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania."
The governor said the commonwealth needs more workers to be able to tackle major infrastructure projects in the coming years.
"Right now, we have an opportunity to build on that success on 95 and, quite literally, rebuild this nation," Shapiro said.
"If I know there's work coming up, I can build those apprenticeships," said Jim Snell, business manager with Steamfitters Local 420. "The governor has assured me there's a boatload of work coming up."
Shapiro said they'll be pulling funding from two federal programs, the Infrastructure and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.
For those interested in the program, you can visit the state website or speak with your union about getting started.