BETHLEHEM, Pa. (WLVT) - Students in safety glasses were busy at work Tuesday at Northampton Community College's Fab Lab at the Fowler Family Southside Center, as Pennsylvania Secretary of Community and Economic Development Dennis Davin took a look around.
The students are part of a free training program called "Micro-credentials in Manufacturing," which helps prepare graduates for entry-level jobs in the manufacturing industry.
Winston Cuevas-Fernandez said it's been hard trying to find a job, so he's hoping the program changes that.
"It's basically like a fresh start for me," he said. "Before, I was a hands-on person. I power carved. I like artistic things, and this really is an outlet for me to let my creativity out."
Last year, a state grant of about $200,000 went right into the program. It’s part of Governor Tom Wolf’s initiative called "Manufacturing PA.” Wolf's budget proposal this year includes an extra $12 million in funding to fuel innovation across Pennsylvania. Davin said NCC's program reflects what the state envisions in this plan.
"It's great that these people get an opportunity with the community college because of some of the funding that we're providing, but [it's] really what the community college does day in and day out to train these folks for great manufacturing careers," he said.
Students said they’re ready to jump into the workforce, and companies in the Lehigh Valley said they're ready to hire them. Reeb Millwork, a Bethlehem company that makes doors and other building products, has been working with NCC's program for about three years.
"They come in with so much knowledge to begin with, and then our training process is much more efficient," said human resources director Greg Chajnacki, "so, it feels like they're already so far advanced that when they come to us, they make very good workers."
"For us, manufacturing is a big priority of what we're trying to develop throughout the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and especially in places like Bethlehem," Davin added.
Cuevas-Fernandez is a few weeks away from finishing the program. He said he sees how his passion can get him a job.
"I love designing things, and I love making things and I love to give them away -- which I should and I should charge -- but it's really fascinating to be artistic and be creative and just learn new things," he said.
The nine-week program offers industry-approved certifications. To learn more, click HERE.