PITTSBURGH — State lawmakers, employers, workforce development leaders and youth representatives convened in Pittsburgh on Oct. 13, for the Pittsburgh Youth Workforce Development Roundtable.
The event, held at Acrisure Stadium, was organized by the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association and Partner4Work to address pathways connecting young people with career opportunities.
The meeting comes as Pennsylvania faces demographic shifts in its labor pool. Research commissioned by the PWDA and conducted by Lightcast found that while the state’s youth population has remained relatively stable since 1990, its retirement-age population has more than doubled. In response, the PWDA is advocating for a proposed $25 million Pennsylvania Youth Career Pathways Initiative to expand career-connected opportunities statewide.
Rebecca O’Shea of the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association highlighted the urgency of bringing different sectors together to address workforce demands.
“This is a conversation Pennsylvania needs to be having now,” O’Shea said. “Young people need clear, accessible pathways into careers and employers need a strong pipeline of workers prepared for the opportunities that exist today and those that are coming next. Bringing policymakers, employers, workforce professionals and young people to the same table allows us to move beyond talking about the problem and start identifying what Pennsylvania can do about it.”
Cherry stressed that early engagement is critical for long-term career growth and business stability.
“Employers cannot wait until a young person applies for their first full-time job to begin building the workforce of the future,” Cherry said. “Young people need earlier opportunities to explore careers, gain paid experience and see clear pathways into the industries growing across our region. A sustained, Pennsylvania-led investment would help turn those early experiences into long-term career pathways while giving businesses the talent pipeline they need to grow.”
The Pittsburgh roundtable follows a previous session held in Lancaster County in May. Regional meetings are being conducted across the Commonwealth to gather local perspectives and help inform a broader statewide strategy for youth workforce development.
To learn more about the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association, click here.
To learn more about Partner4Work, click here.
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