Northampton Community College (NCC) has received a $199,985 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development (PA DCED) to continue its industrial skills in manufacturing training program.

“We continue to improve the program to ensure we are offering the most up-to-date and relevant information to our students,” said NCC Program Manager for Trade and Technical Programs, Michele Salkin.

The curriculum is designed to adapt to feedback from industry partners to ensure alignment with workforce needs.

Regional job growth in manufacturing is predicted to rise from roughly 37,000 to nearly 49,000, a 32 percent increase, in the next 25 years, according to the Lehigh Valley Workforce Investment Board and Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, stated a press release from NCC.

There’s a shift toward advanced manufacturing, generating strong demand for a skilled workforce and opening the door to better-paying, more resilient career opportunities.

The Lehigh Valley is emerging as a regional hub for modern, innovation-driven manufacturing in the northeast United States. To support the transformation, Industrial Skills in Manufacturing offers a critical entry point for individuals looking to transition into the advanced manufacturing workforce.

Recently, the program achieved registered pre-apprenticeship status through the PA Department of Labor and Industry. This is a valuable national credential recognized by companies across the United States, and students receive credits that can be applied to further industrial skills training at NCC.

Industrial skills in Manufacturing at NCC is a 10-week, 240-hour registered pre-apprenticeship program created for unemployed or underemployed individuals who have strong mechanical aptitudes, problem-solving skills, and an interest starting or advancing into a career in industrial maintenance or advanced manufacturing.

The program combines online learning, hands-on training, and classroom instruction with employer engagement. The program prepares students for entry-level employment, to further their education, or to be hired into an apprenticeship program with related technical instruction held in NCC’s Hartzell Hall - Center for Advanced Technology.

The program is funded in part by the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development’s Manufacturing Training to Career Grant program.