Tuition-Free Classes in Manufacturing to be Offered Through Partnership with Manufacturing Alliance
(Delaware and Chester Counties, PA • December 14, 2015)—In response to area businesses, the College has partnered with the Manufacturing Alliance of Chester and Delaware Counties (the Alliance) to offer tuition-free courses for employees of Alliance member organizations, beginning in January 2016.
Active member companies of the industry-led Alliance can enroll their employees in one of over 100 manufacturing-related competency based classes at Delaware County Community College and pay no tuition. The cost savings to the company is significant, but more importantly, developing the skills of their incumbent workforce allows companies to hire entry-level employees.
"Currently, there are more than 2,800 well paying, manufacturing-related positions available in this region. Manufacturers are concerned with the lack of skilled employees to support growth and the replacement of their retirement-age employees," says Karen Kozachyn, dean of Workforce Development and Community Education at the College. "This is one of the innovative ways the College is helping area manufacturers."
For more information about the program, or to learn how to obtain the benefits of membership, contact the Manufacturing Alliance of Chester and Delaware Counties. For Chester County, contact Alan Slobojan, project consultant Chester County Economic Development Council, 610-321-8234, or aslobojan@ccedcpa.com. For Delaware County, contact Craig Fitz, assistant to the president for planning at Delaware County Community College, 610-359-5168, or cfitz@dccc.edu.
About the Manufacturing Alliance of Chester and Delaware Counties
In 2013, the Alliance, involving Chester and Delaware County manufacturers, was organized by the Chester County Economic Development Council and Delaware County Community College. The initiative is funded in part by the private sector and grants received from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry through the Chester County Workforce Development Board.
The Alliance promotes the growth of the manufacturing industry by providing workforce and economic development services to partnering companies. More specifically, the Alliance helps manufacturers to enhance growth and prosperity through attracting and retaining new talent; skills training; building networks that help access best practices, training and information; enhancing community awareness of the value and opportunities that manufacturing provides; and developing additional value-added services for manufacturers. For more information about the Alliance, see: www.maccdcpa.org.
