Representatives of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry announced the award of PAsmart grants for the north-central region of the state on Friday during a visit to Penn College’s Workforce Development Center. Eric Ramsay, director of L&I's Apprenticeship and Training Office, revealed that nine grant applications totaling more than $850,000 were to be funded. Two of those applications, one for apprenticeships and another for pre-apprenticeship programs, were awarded to the college. PAsmart was launched last year with one of the goals to increase job training to prepare workers with skills that growing businesses need. Chris Ray, executive director in workforce development, spoke on behalf of the college, noting, “Programs expanded and created as a result of these grants will upskill workers in the vital sectors of advanced manufacturing and health care, while building an increased pool of future workers through pre-apprenticeship.” News of the grants was posted by Labor & Industry late Friday afternoon.