IN McKeesport Winter 2019 | Page 24

Career training open at Tube City Center In continuing to find unique opportunities to benefit the McKeesport community, it’s important that the McKeesport community is aware of two educational programs that are new to the City of McKeesport. At the Tube City Center for Business and Innovation, located in the former Daily News building at 409 Walnut Street, the City of McKeesport has welcomed new tenants, including New Century Careers and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania. These tenants are developing programs to teach trades and other job skills to qualifying adults. H New Century Careers is operating the M2K program, a short-term pre-apprenticeship program offered at no cost to qualified job seekers. New Century Careers recruits, screens, tests, trains, and places high school graduates 18 and older in entry- level machinist jobs that lead to career pathways with family-sustaining wages. Potential students are screened for interest and aptitude to learn, including those with pre-existing education and employment barriers. Enrollment is now open for the first class of trainees at the McKeesport site by calling 412-258-6620. H With the Teen Workforce Development Academy and the YouthBuild Program, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania can impact hundreds of youth and young adults, especially minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, as well as employers. These programs expose teens and out-of-school young adults, ages 18 to 24, to job training and certifications and help them to overcome barriers. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania are among the oldest nonprofit youth providers in the region, with our local LaRosa Boys and Girls Club being a staple in the McKeesport community since 1943. For more information, call 412-782-5710. Mayor Michael Cherepko often promotes a motto of “Working Together for a Better McKeesport.” This phrase is more than a slogan – it’s an invitation for our community’s residents, business owners, volunteers, and all stakeholders to share common goals of success. We empower each other to do what’s best for today’s McKeesport and the McKeesport of the future. These education programs surely will play an integral role in the sustainability of the McKeesport community and our region, as students will gain hands-on experience with their free education. 22 MCKEESPORT AREA Kids parade costumes at Main Pavilion McKeesport Area children gathered in Renziehausen Park on October 26 for a Halloween- themed parade and party that included crafts, story time, music, lunch, and medals for the best costumes. Each year, this event is sponsored by Mayor Michael Cherepko, the McKeesport Recreation Board, and the Carnegie Library of McKeesport. Bethlehem Baptist Church hosts annual Thanksgiving feast Bethlehem Baptist Church hosted its annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner on November 15 – inviting church members, city residents, public officials, and the homeless to enjoy a meal, conversation, and prayer together. The Martinjack family joined volunteers from the church, city, and McKeesport Area schools in serving a turkey dinner with all the fixings. “This is an event I look forward to every year,” Cherepko said. “I bring my daughter and her friends to take part in this community service with me. It gives them a unique opportunity to give back to the City of McKeesport and to share the season of giving with those in need.”