The Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette, Inc. (PIC) has been awarded a grant for 2019-2020 by the Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Investment Board to provide CDL training and other workforce skills to young adults. The goal of the grant is to support 18-24 year old at-risk young adults to acquire career specific and employment preparation skills leading to certification and employment in the local transportation industry.
The young adults must meet eligibility criteria established by the Workforce Investment Opportunities Act (WIOA). They must be out-of-school and live in either Fayette or Westmoreland County and are currently under-employed or unemployed. The program consist of 319 hours which will include a customer service curriculum, parenting curriculum (for those applicable), transportation career pathway curriculum, a workforce development curriculum — including industry recognized credentials such as forklift and OSHA 10 — and a 7-week CDL training complete with a hazardous materials endorsement. The program will be offered in several locations including the PIC offices in Greensburg, Lemont Furnace and Douglas Education Center sites in either Monessen or at the Connellsville Airport.
For the young adults who are currently parents, they will also participate in the PIC’s DADS MATTER program. This 20-hour program includes an evidenced based parenting curriculum designed to encourage open communication with the participant’s partner and child as well as provide parenting techniques. Once participants have completed the DADS MATTER program, they will begin the 20-hour transportation career pathway curriculum portion of the program where participants will learn about the transportation industry and the skills necessary to be successful in it. The participants will then complete 34 hours of workforce development education. The workforce development curriculum will consist of teaching industry recognized credentials and other workforce courses that are essential to being successful in the transportation industry. These courses include OSHA 10 certification, Screenings, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), work ethic expectations, ergonomics, gas and oil environmental education, pre-CDL and forklift certifications.
Participants will also complete a 40-hour customer service and sales certification through the National Retail Federation. All of the skills obtained through these trainings will provide participants the necessary skills to obtain and retain employment in the local transportation industry. The above listed trainings may run concurrently and will be offered based upon the schedules and availabilities of the participants and will take place at a PIC office site.
If you are interested or know someone who might be, please contact the PIC Youth Program at 724-836-2600 ext. 207 or email youthprograms@privateindustrycouncil.com
