PITTSBURGH — Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato today announced a $311,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry to train 80 returning veterans for welding jobs. The County Executive was by joined by members of the Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board (TRWIB), Steamfitters Local 449, and the Pittsburgh Regional Building Trades Council.

“As more troops return home after tours of duty, it’s important that we provide tools and resources to help them reintegrate into civilian life,” said Onorato. “Thanks to this grant, 80 returning veterans will receive quality training in a high-demand field, which will benefit the veterans, local employers and our economy. The Returning Veterans Welding Program is a key part of our effort to provide the men and women who have served our country with easy access to job training and employment opportunities, as well as other services.”

The grant will be used to support Steamfitters Local 449’s Returning Veterans Welding Program, in which 80 veterans will receive 96 hours of beginner welding training during an eight-week period. The TRWIB will coordinate the program and serve as the fiscal agent for the grant.

“As we talk with employers, we understand that welding is a critical skill set that is needed in this region,” said TRWIB Chief Executive Officer Ron Painter. “We have worked with the Steamfitters Local 449 in the past, and we know that they do great work. We are excited to be able to work with them to provide this exciting opportunity to our veterans – people who have done more than their fair share for us as citizens of Allegheny County, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the nation.”

The training program will provide participating veterans with basic skills in welding, mathematics and safety. $211,000 of the grant will fund training, and $100,000 will be used for equipment.

“The Pittsburgh Building Trades believe that those who have protected our country’s interests here and abroad should be a priority to receive employment with good wages when they return to civilian life,” said Steamfitters Local 449 Business Manager Ken Broadbent. “In completing this training, they will have increased skills and a better opportunity to join one of our trade unions where they will receive good wages, health care and pensions when they retire.”

Anyone interested in applying for the Returning Veterans Welding Program should call the Veterans Affairs Office at (412) 621-4357. Additional information is also available online at www.ua449.com.

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