Philadelphia, PA, Aug. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Philadelphia Works has secured a $392,572 PAsmart grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) to launch CyberPath PA, a registered apprenticeship program that will prepare residents of Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks, Berks, and Chester counties for in-demand careers as information security (cybersecurity) analysts.
The funding is part of Governor Josh Shapiro’s statewide $6.6 million workforce development investment in healthcare, agriculture, and IT apprenticeship programs, detailed in the Governor’s release “Getting Workforce Development Done.”
Building the Cyber Workforce Southeastern PA Needs
CyberPath PA addresses the region’s growing demand for information security analysts, an occupation projected to expand rapidly and command six figure median wages. CyberPath PA will operate as a group‑model registered apprenticeship sponsored by the Philadelphia Alliance for Capital & Technology (PACT), in collaboration with the national tech‑talent intermediary Apprenti. The program will train two cohorts of information‑security analysts, placing apprentices with at least three employer partners in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Each apprentice will complete 14 weeks of paid, related technical instruction before progressing into a full year of mentored on-the-job learning. To remove barriers to participation, Philadelphia Works will provide up to $2,500 per apprentice for childcare, transportation, industry certifications, accessibility accommodations and other wrap‑around supports. Recruitment will flow through the ApprenticeshipPHL network and PA CareerLink® centers in Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks, Berks, and Chester counties.
Voices of Support
“Under Gov. Josh Shapiro’s leadership, Pennsylvania is investing in skills that pay the bills,” Labor & Industry Secretary Nancy A. Walker said. “CyberPath PA exemplifies the innovative, employer‑driven training our commonwealth needs.”
Philadelphia Works President and CEO H. Patrick Clancy called the grant “an opportunity to open doors to family‑sustaining cybersecurity careers for women, veterans, people with disabilities and neighbors from underserved communities.”
PACT President and CEO Dean Miller added that the apprenticeship will “give employers a diverse pipeline of security talent while strengthening our tech ecosystem.”
Philadelphia Works expects to submit the program for state registration in Fall 2025. The first cohort is slated to begin classroom instruction in April 2026 and will transition to mentored on-the-job learning by July, when the second cohort will begin its classroom component.
Employers interested in learning more about CyberPath PA can connect via email at info@apprenticeshipphl.org.
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About Philadelphia Works
Philadelphia Works invests in solutions and services to grow Philadelphia’s economy by connecting employers to workforce talent and career seekers to jobs. We influence the public policies that support economic growth and optimize funding and resources to invest in regional solutions to build a skilled and thriving workforce. For more information about our dedicated board members and staff, workforce research, labor market data, services, and initiatives, visit philaworks.org.
Dawn Thomas Philadelphia Works, Inc. 215-557-2587 dthomas@philaworks.org
