Bizzarro: $250K grant opens door to in-demand jobs

Steamfitters Local 449 to launch HVAC pre-apprenticeship program

Rep. Ryan Bizzarro May 6, 2026 | 12:42 PM

HARRISBURG, May 6 – More students will have a pathway to in-demand skilled trades careers because of a $250,000 state grant announced today by state Rep. Ryan Bizzarro.

“This investment creates real opportunity,” said Bizzarro, who represents Fairview and Millcreek townships. “It connects students to hands-on training and has the potential for students to land family-sustaining careers while helping employers build the workforce they need.”

The $250,000 grant will support Steamfitters Local Union No. 449 Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee in launching an HVAC pre-apprenticeship program, which connects students to in-demand careers through industry-aligned hands-on training and partnerships throughout the industry. Local No. 449’s jurisdiction runs from the West Virginia-Ohio border all the way to Erie County, serving 15 counties in western Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry administered the grant through the state’s Schools-to-Work program to help launch and maintain career pathways through apprenticeship programs. The statewide list of $2.7 million grant recipients are detailed here.

Bizzarro has helped secure nearly $50.5 million in state funding for projects and services across the community during this legislative session.

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