Matzie: $10 million in new funding will support job training for Pa. residents re-entering the community

Rep. Robert Matzie    October 6, 2022 | 1:30 PM

AMBRIDGE, Oct. 6 – New job training and related resources are on the horizon for Beaver County residents re-entering the community after incarceration thanks to $10 million in new federal funding, state Rep. Rob Matzie announced.

Matzie, D-Beaver, said the funding under the First Step Act Initiative will support a statewide re-entry program to reduce recidivism and strengthen the region’s workforce.

“For people returning to the community after incarceration, a chance at a decent-paying job offers the best path back to building a new life,” Matzie said. “Unfortunately, many lack the training and skills needed to find those opportunities.

“With this new funding, the state will create a re-entry program that offers job training in areas that meet the specific needs of regional employers. Having specialized skills that make them attractive to employers – sometimes for the first time in their lives – empowers people, gives them a chance to return to their families and cuts the chances of their returning to crime. The entire community feels the impact of that success.

“I will be working to ensure Beaver County reaps the full benefits of the new program.”

More information about the funding is available here: https://www.governor.pa.gov/newsroom/wolf-administration-awarded-10-million-federal-grant-to-support-reentrants-in-pennsylvania-through-first-step-act-initiative/.

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