Airport Workforce Efforts Attract National Attention

“All means all.”

That’s what Miguel Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Education, said in response to a conversation about creating an inclusive, diverse workforce in the Pittsburgh region.

Cardona was one of many local and federal leaders who participated on Tuesday in a roundtable discussion about workforce development and education at the Community College of Allegheny County.

The leaders heard directly from CCAC student Parker Cornelius and Lisa Gilmore, a recent graduate of Pittsburgh International Airport’s PIT2Work training program.

Since graduating in November, Gilmore has become a Registered Apprentice with the Carpenters Union, and she credits much of her success to PIT2Work. In the program, she met union leaders, was mentored by union members and was ultimately able to pick the career path she wanted to pursue.

“It’s not always easy getting into the unions, so this program gives us the opportunities we need to get recommendation letters and hands-on training,” she said during the roundtable discussion. “It’s really important because the minority in the unions are women and Black women, so it’s important for these programs to help us get out there and bring resources to my commu