Grant Funding to Provide Training for Plastics Industry Workers

Published 03.09.2011

News
Polymer Engineering
Workforce Development

Pennsylvania College of Technology's Plastics Manufacturing Center received grant funding from the Central Pennsylvania Workforce Development Corp. to provide training for Global Standards for Plastics Certification at three regional plastics companies.

The grant funding totals $169,200 and will provide training and certification to 141 employees at the three plants.

GSPC provides credentials for employees and a competitive advantage for companies. Originally developed in Great Britain, the comprehensive curriculum has evolved to become the most rigorous certification system available to the plastics industry.

Training is conducted through computer interactive modules and simulators, featuring internal trainer and group training at the company site, specific to the company's procedures and operations. Employees are certified by an independent verifier upon successful completion.

A $73,200 grant will provide training for 61 employees at Jarden Plastic Solutions in Reedsville. A $48,000 grant will be used to train 40 employees at Kydex in Bloomsburg. Another $48,000 grant will fund training for 40 employees at The Tech Group, A West Company in Montgomery, despite its plans to close in June. The GSPC credential may help those workers obtain employment in other plastics industries.

Following a 2009 pilot program conducted by the Plastics Manufacturing Center, participating companies reported significant gains in production efficiency and safety, along with a reduction in scrap rates, employee turnover and customer complaints.

Penn College's Plastics Manufacturing Center is one of the top plastics-technology centers in the country, offering industry access to extensive material-testing laboratories, industrial-scale process equipment, world-class training facilities and highly skilled consulting staff.

To learn more about the center and its services, call 570-321-5533 or visit online .

For more about Penn College, visit on the Web , e-mail or call toll-free 800-367-9222.

For more information about grant-funding opportunities, faculty and staff may contact the Grants and Contracts Office at ext. 7562 or through its Web portal.