Southeastern Pennsylvania Workforce Development Partnership
The big picture
The Southeast Regional Manufacturing Partnership (SERAMIP) brings together employers, job training organizations, and schools to create a vibrant pipeline of skilled workers for the advanced manufacturing industry in Greater Philadelphia.
The problem
Advanced manufacturing companies in Greater Philadelphia need trained workers to replace an aging workforce and to stay competitive in an increasingly global economy. At the same time, lower-skilled adults in Greater Philadelphia need good jobs that pay family-sustaining wages.
The solution
SERAMIP trains young adults and frontline workers for careers in advanced manufacturing that pay family-sustaining wages. SERAMIP currently coordinates an industry-approved training program that prepares entry-level workers for career advancement. SERAMIP has intensive employer involvement in every aspect of this program design, from the mapping of career pathways to the development of training curriculum. SERAMIP also provides extensive services to employers, including assistance to companies in addressing HR challenges, implementing high-performance work organization models, and adopting new technologies.
SERAMIP is led by the Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation, a private, non-profit organization that has been providing quality employment services to Philadelphians for over thirty-five years. SERAMIP has more than 25 southeastern Pennsylvania employers who range in size from 10 to 1500 employees and more than a dozen educational and job training organizations, including the region’s community colleges, the Philadelphia School District, the UAW Local 644, USW Local 404, and CareerLink (Pennsylvania’s “One-Stop” center).
Over the next year, the partnership plans to develop a mechatronics program to help regional employers meet the latest industry skill demands. The partnership also plans to work with employers to develop new career ladders within and across companies, enabling entry-level workers to advance into higher skill, higher wage jobs.
