Sep. 29, 2015
HARRISBURG – In an ongoing effort to make Pennsylvania more competitive in its efforts to attract job creators to the Commonwealth, the Pennsylvania House today approved legislation introduced by Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-Berks/Lehigh) that would establish a public-private educational initiative known as “CareerBound.” The legislation,
House Bill 725, passed unanimously.
CareerBound is an innovative workforce development initiative that would permit trade groups, businesses, and institutions of higher learning to partner with secondary schools to offer students exposure to careers in high-priority fields.
Businesses participating in CareerBound would receive a tax credit in exchange for contributions to educational programs offering hands-on experience. This tax credit would be modeled on the successful Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC), which encourages businesses to invest in schools and scholarship programs for the purpose of enhancing academic achievement.
The joint ventures authorized by CareerBound would provide students early exposure to an array of career opportunities, including career expos, job shadowing, internships, and other career-education integration initiatives.
“Our state isn’t producing enough workers to meet the demands of some of the fastest-growing sectors of the economy,” said Mackenzie. “This is particularly true in high-tech industries that rely on workers trained in specific skills. CareerBound would give young people valuable experience in fields that offer good-paying, family-sustaining jobs while expanding the talent of Pennsylvania’s employment pool.”
Mackenzie introduced CareerBound during the last legislation session, when it also passed the House unanimously. However, it did not receive consideration in the Senate. House Bill 725 now goes to the Senate, where Mackenzie hopes the Senate will take action this year.
“CareerBound is a ‘win’ all parties involved,” said Mackenzie. “Schools would benefit from close partnerships with industry leaders, a skilled workforce would be cultivated for Pennsylvania employers, and young people would be prepared for lifelong careers in rewarding fields. I hope the Senate will immediately take up the bill.”
For more information, please visit
RepMackenzie.com or
Facebook.com/RepMackenzie.
Representative Ryan Mackenzie
134th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Ryan Travis, 717.260.6335
rtravis@pahousegop.com
RepMackenzie.com /
Facebook.com/RepMackenzie