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Acknowledging and commending the University of Pennsylvania, LF Driscoll, the School District of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Building Trades Council for their establishment of the PennAssist Program-Bridging the Gap from High School to Building Trades, an unprecedented effort to promote and support City youth in their pursuit of careers in the building trades.
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WHEREAS, Penn Medicine is developing a new state-of-the-arts hospital to be known as the New Patient Pavilion in the University City area of the Third Council District in the City of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, The development of the hospital will provide significant economic opportunities for residents and businesses in the City of Philadelphia and the region; and
WHEREAS, Minority and women workers and minority and woman-owned businesses have often not had equal opportunity to work on construction projects occurring in the City; and
WHEREAS, The School District of Philadelphia Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in construction, are half empty because graduates have not been able to find work as apprentice or continue their building-trades education by getting into union apprenticeship programs; and
WHEREAS, In October 2016, the Director of the CTE program testified in Council that the District views City Council as an important partner and requested that Council advocate for the building-trade unions to partner with the District CTE programs to increase student access to the union apprenticeship programs; and
WHEREAS, The University of Pennsylvania, its construction manager LF Driscoll, the Philadelphia Building Trades Council and the School District of Philadelphia have collaborated to create the PennAssist Program to provide a pathway to union apprenticeship for graduates of CTE and other pre-apprenticeship programs, to promote workforce diversity on Penn construction projects and construction projects around the City; and
WHEREAS, Under the Program, 2017 CTE graduates can enroll after completing a CTE program focused on a career in the building trades. An information session will be provided at each of the CTE locations to inform students of the Program. All interested students can sign up; and
WHEREAS, Students will undergo a skills assessment and receive help obtaining a drivers license. Students will participate in a 2-3 week boot camp to begin July 2017, where they will receive basic math and work-skills training, as well as OHSHA training. The skills assessment and boot camp results, will aid the PennAssist team and students to identify the trades most suitable for each student. All students will receive a small stipend to cover the cost of lunch and transportation for the duration of boot camp; and
WHEREAS, Following the boot camp, the PennAssist Team will pair each student with the most aligned trade and trade-contractor and the student will begin work on a Penn Medicine or Penn construction project where students will perform work of a first-year apprentice and receive pay of $16.50 an hour; and
WHEREAS, During the twelve months of the Program, students will have the opportunity to sit for an apprenticeship test in their trade of choice and may access additional math and work-skill training through the General Building Contractor Association. If a student misses the scheduled test, the Philadelphia Building Trades Council will allow for an apprentice test to be administered to a student outside of the regular testing schedule. Students who pass the test will join the union and continue working in that building trade; and
WHEREAS, The Program is planned for the 2017 CTE graduates, and it is intended to be continued into the future and is further intended to be expanded to include future graduates and other young Philadelphians outside the CTE program; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT CITY COUNCIL, Hereby acknowledges and commends the University of Pennsylvania, LF Driscoll, the School District of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Building Trades Council for their establishment of the PennAssist Program-Bridging the Gap from High School to Building Trades.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented as an expression of City Council’s sincere thanks and gratitude for this unprecedented effort to promote and support City youth in their pursuit of careers in the building trades.
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