With New Terminal Open, PIT2Work Shifts Focus

When the first PIT2Work cohorts began their training, they had a once-in-a-generation opportunity: helping prepare Pittsburgh International Airport’s new terminal for opening day.

As PIT enters a new era, so does PIT2Work. Or as Alicia Booker, director of workforce development at the Allegheny County Airport Authority (ACAA), likes to think of it — PIT2Work 2.0.

In addition to preparing people to build the future, PIT2Work is now also preparing them to sustain it.

The workforce development program was created in 2023 by ACAA to build a pipeline of skilled workers to support the airport’s long-term growth and to meet the need for skilled trades workers in the region and throughout the country. The program was originally established to prepare participants for careers associated with PIT’s Terminal Modernization Program.

Through classroom instruction, hands-on training and exposure to active job sites, participants gained experience in construction trades, workplace safety and professional development. With the completion of the new terminal, the program has evolved to include preventative maintenance, predictive analysis and building systems, moving toward troubleshooting and operational readiness.

It’s a natural evolution for a program designed to create career pathways while meeting the airport and the region’s long-term workforce needs.

“We had the perfect classroom with all the trades onsite during construction of the new terminal,” Booker said. “The new terminal still offers a tremendous classroom with all the trades required to maintain this world-class facility for the next 30 to 40 years.”

The eighth cohort, which began in July, is not only learning construction trades, but also marks the program’s inclusion of something equally important — learning how to maintain, operate and preserve one of the region’s most significant infrastructure investments.

Throughout the five-week program, the 16 participants are currently learning directly from airport professionals responsible for maintaining the terminal’s complex infrastructure, including mechanical, electrical and facility systems that passengers may never notice but rely on every day. The terminal’s advanced technologies create an opportunity for a new generation of workers to build careers in an industry that often operates behind the scenes.

Preventative maintenance has become increasingly important as airports adopt smarter, more sustainable systems. Rather than waiting for issues to arise, maintenance teams proactively inspect, monitor and service equipment to maximize performance and minimize disruptions.

The evolution of PIT2Work also represents a long-term commitment by ACAA to workforce development. By creating pathways into maintenance careers, PIT2Work is helping to build a sustainable workforce that will support PIT for generations to come, while introducing participants to stable, in-demand careers with opportunities for growth and advancement.

And while the newest cohort is learning about preventive maintenance, predictive analysis and troubleshooting rather than construction, the key components of the program haven’t changed: PIT2Work is free. No experience, prior training or skills are needed to enroll. The program aims to make trade careers accessible to all, including those who may be out of school and those who are experienced tradespeople looking to advance.

The goal is still to provide a pathway to apprenticeships. And it is still changing lives.

More than 100 people have graduated from the program, and almost all are now employed or in a registered apprenticeship program.

PIT2Work is a partner of Partner4Work and Pittsburgh Gateways. It also has added a partnership with the Community College of Beaver County that provides cohorts with access to the college’s training course in floorcovering basics, which teaches students how to install and repair hardwood, laminate, vinyl, carpet, and tile, as well as subfloor preparation and the use of professional tools.

The program has been recognized by the White House and has received the annual W.O. Lawton Business Leadership Award from the National Association of Workforce Boards, which honors a business or organization that has made a commitment of time.