ICCD Receives Funding to Launch Ag Apprenticeship Program

By Andi Anderson

The Indiana County Conservation District (ICCD) has received a grant of $399,317 from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry to develop an agricultural conservation technician apprenticeship program.

This initiative is part of a broader investment of over $6.6 million distributed among 19 organizations in Pennsylvania to support apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs across agriculture, health care, and information technology sectors.

The ICCD program aims to provide aspiring conservation technicians with hands-on training and practical job experience. Apprentices will work with ICCD, other Pennsylvania conservation districts, the State Conservation Commission, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, and the Penn State Center for Agricultural Conservation and Training. The program will prepare participants for real-world roles in agricultural conservation and sustainability.

L&I Secretary Nancy A. Walker emphasized the importance of this effort, stating, “Under Gov. Shapiro’s leadership, Pennsylvania is taking meaningful action to strengthen workforce pipelines and ensure our Commonwealth has the skilled professionals to meet the evolving workforce needs of today and tomorrow.”

ICCD is one of eight agriculture-related organizations receiving a combined total of $2.54 million through this funding round. Another recipient, the Center for Dairy Excellence, will receive $50,670 to expand its dairy laborer pre-apprenticeship program, aiming to boost student enrollment by 40 between July 2025 and June 2027.

In health care, $1.94 million in grants will support workforce training, including a $400,000 award to UPMC to train underserved community members in Allegheny County.

Six IT organizations will share $2.17 million, including Partner4Work, which serves several western Pennsylvania counties. Their new program, Apprenticeships in Data Analytics, will create pathways to high-paying IT jobs.

These investments reflect Pennsylvania’s commitment to building a skilled, future-ready workforce.

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