Greater Oh-Penn Manufacturing Collaborative receives nearly $3 million grant

YOUNGSTOWN — The Greater Oh-Penn Manufacturing Collaborative was awarded $2.9 million in funds from the United States Department of Labor American Apprenticeship Grant. The American Apprenticeship Grant was created in response to the declining pipeline of qualified young people entering growing industries.

The Labor Department announced 46 award recipients, totaling $175,799,846 in funds today.

The Oh-Penn Interstate Region is the development of the Oh-Penn Manufacturing Collaborative, a demand-driven industry partnership comprised of the Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition, which represents the interests of manufacturers in Columbiana, Mahoning, and Trumbull counties in Ohio, and the Industry Partnership of Lawrence and Mercer counties in Pennsylvania.

Oh-Penn has grown organically and now encompasses the Greater Oh-Penn Region, comprised of stakeholders from two states, five workforce areas, and 14 counties, including Erie, Pa. and Youngstown.

The Greater Oh-Penn Manufacturing Collaborative consists of these 14 counties: Ashtabula, Columbiana, Geauga, Mahoning, Portage, and Trumbull counties in Ohio, and Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Lawrence, Mercer, Warren, and Venango counties in Pennsylvania.