Helping Workers Learn More so They can Earn More

March 15, 2019

Helping Workers Learn More so They can Earn More

My colleagues and I in the state House are focusing on good jobs and careers for all Pennsylvanians, working to improve our workforce development and career and technical education (CTE) opportunities, and advancing policies to help workers obtain family-sustaining careers.

A state House committee this week approved a package of bills that will help us achieve these goals. The bills now can be considered by the full House.

This package includes bills that would boost awareness of workforce needs and increase the flexibility for secondary CTE programs. Bills would also create a comprehensive online CTE resource center and coordinate a state-level career exploration and workforce development opportunities.

Improving the way CTE works in Pennsylvania also would include putting at least one K-12 career and technical center administrator on each Workforce Development Board and creating a database with information about where courses, programs, certificates, and diplomas transfer among public schools and institutions of higher education.

Learn more about this middle-class jobs plan here.

Health Committee Hearing Focuses on Employment Issues in Health Care

This week, the House Health Committee heard testimony about difficulty in attracting doctors and other health care employees to Pennsylvania.

Experts from across the state who testified said burdensome government regulations have contributed to “burnout” and pushed younger doctors and nurses to move out of Pennsylvania. They also discussed issues with finding qualified candidates to fill important roles, including nurses and technicians.

As the session continues, the House will look at ways we can remove these barriers and help improve training for these important positions.

Report Potholes to PennDOT

With the thaw out of spring comes the growth of potholes on Pennsylvania’s roads.

Extreme fluctuations in temperatures, coupled with an active snow season, can contribute to more potholes on our roads.

To help combat potholes and prevent them from becoming a danger to vehicles and drivers on the road, you can report potholes to PennDOT.

You can report potholes by calling 1-800-FIX-ROAD or by clicking here to file a report online.

Keep PA Beautiful!

Volunteers are being sought for this year’s Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania, which began March 1 and runs through May 31. A comprehensive webpage that includes all volunteer opportunities available, from the Great American Cleanup of PA and Adopt-A-Highway to Safety Training, Litter Brigades and more, is available here.

The cleanup is sponsored each year by PennDOT, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and other partners.

During last year’s cleanup, 108,638 volunteers collected over 7.7 million pounds of litter from Pennsylvania’s roads, trails and shorelines. More than 5,300 events were held, with every county participating.

Groups participating in PennDOT’s Adopt-A-Highway (AAH) program, which involves volunteers cleaning roadsides year-round, are also encouraged to participate in the cleanup, with gloves, trash bags and safety vests provided. In addition, during “Pick It Up, PA Days,” set for April 13 to May 6, registered cleanup events have access to reduced or free disposal at participating landfills, through support from DEP and the Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association.

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