Gov. Wolf Visits Montco College To Highlight Digital Literacy Program

JENKINTOWN, PA — Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf made a stop in this eastern Montgomery County community on Wednesday, touring Manor College and touting the school's digital literacy program as an example on how to properly prepare commonwealth residents for employment in the 21st Century job market.

Wolf, who was joined by Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry Secretary Jennifer Berrier, spoke highly about the program, which was created through grant funding from Wolf's administration.

"With digital platforms dominating how the job market attracts and finds employees, it is critical that all Pennsylvanians have the necessary skills to navigate these opportunities," Wolf said in a statement that was included in a news release about Wednesday's visit. "I am proud of the work being done at Manor College, and the rest of the grantees, to prepare their graduates for success. It's a win-win situation for everyone. Pennsylvanians deserve every opportunity to succeed in family-sustaining jobs, and Pennsylvania businesses need access to the candidates for their job openings."

According to the Wolf administration, Manor College received $45,000 last year as part of an overall $1.3 million investment that the Department of Labor & Industry made in computer-based training offered by 32 organizations across the commonwealth.

The money that went to Manor would promote digital literacy skills among job seekers and also help students with in-class and online job search training and career readiness curriculum, according to the Wolf administration.

Berrier, the L&I secretary, was quoted as saying during Wednesday's visit that the success of Pennsylvania's workforce is "dependent on digital competency — an effort made possible by the Digital Literacy and Workforce Development Grants ... and the work being done at Manor College to help students find competitive employment with family-sustaining wages."

Manor College says that its digital literacy program has served a total of 85 students during the 2021-22 academic year; the program is scheduled to end on Sept. 30, 2022.

"The Digital Literacy Grant has brought a new focus for our programming already here at Manor College," Rich Jutkiewicz, coordinator for the Career Center at Manor College and also its head librarian, said in a statement. "Certainly, we help our students prioritize their job search as they prepare to graduate. With our career-focused degree and certificate programs, this is organic to what we do."

Patch recently reported on Manor College for another reason; it teamed up with a local real estate development group to help raise money for the humanitarian effort in Ukraine.

That story can be read here.