Written by: Eileen Anderson, Director, Government Affairs at The MBA
Interview with: Linda Froehlich, Owner, Ace Wire Spring & Form, Co., Inc.
Recent Headlines
Wall Street Journal:
“Ford is Struggling to Fill Six-Figure Mechanic Jobs”
“AI Can’t Touch These Trade Jobs”
“Data Centers Are ‘Gold Rush’ for Workers,” sub headline “High Demand Comes
Up Against Skills Shortage”
Skilled Trades Are Gaining Momentum
“…Nearly two-thirds of American voters believe a four-year college degree isn’t worth the cost, found a November poll by NBC News… Enrollment has been on a gradual decline over the past decade, with young men making up larger portions of these losses…
Of those turning away from a four-year degree, many are turning toward the skilled trades.
More young adults, particularly young men, are beginning to picture themselves as electricians, welders, and construction workers — and in turn considering the benefits of working an essential, good-paying job with a relatively low entry fee.”
… “Trades attracting more students,” subheadline “Debt, AI concerns turn young adults to skills careers instead of college,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
CTE Schools Are Running Out of Space
Given that, one would think that Career and Technical Education (CTE) high schools would welcome all interested students with open arms. It turns out they would love to accommodate all of them, but CTE schools are “bursting at the seams” and don’t have enough available seats.
A Closer Look at Parkway West Career & Technology Center
That unfortunate fact was brought to my attention by longtime member Linda Froehlich, Owner, Ace Wire Spring & Form Co., Inc. She introduced me to Spenser Sninchak, Workforce Development and Cooperative Education Coordinator, Parkway West Career & Technology Center, outside Pittsburgh.
Spenser said Parkway West was running out of room to expand and hoped to solve its problem by buying a building 1.6 miles away, the former Pittsburgh Technical College. A simple majority vote of every school board from their twelve sending districts failed. The reasons cited for several NO votes were financial: the schools felt they could not pay more money.
Spenser said, “What would really help is funding to update and expand their facilities from other sources to take some of the burden off of school districts.”
Demand for Trade Education is Outpacing Capacity
Bottom line: Parkway West is waitlisting students when the skilled trades are in demand. Electricians, plumbers, and welders are retiring, and they can’t be replaced fast enough. Meanwhile, Parkway West has grown from 800 students in 2017 to 1,300 students today.
How Cooperative Education Connects Students to Employers
Linda called me in December about Parkway West. We have spoken numerous times over the years about the need for workforce development. Not only did she note the shortage of space and seats at the school, but she also expressed sincere enthusiasm about Parkway West, its students, and its programs. The big plus is that they have a cooperative education program that gives students real-world experience.
This is the first year that Ace Wire Spring & Form Co., Inc. has participated in the co-op program. They have two students who spend three hours a day, four days a week, on the plant floor. The students do an excellent job, and Linda plans to continue with the program. Her grandson serves as the contact with Spenser and oversees the students.
Statewide Demand for Career and Technical Education
According to Google, PA supports over 80 Career and Technical Centers and hundreds of high schools that offer approved CTE programs. Many of those include cooperative education opportunities. Governor Shapiro has heavily supported Career and Technical Education by increasing funding for vo-techs and apprenticeships by over 50% — $65 million — since taking office.
Addressing CTE Waitlisting Lists in Pennsylvania
This is important: PA House Minority Leader Rep. Jesse Topper said, “In 2025–2026, the fact that we have a waiting list all over the commonwealth for CTE programs is unconscionable to me… How do we resolve these waiting lists?” It’s one of his caucus’ priorities.
When Parkway West starts to enroll for the 2026–27 school year in early spring, MBA will reach out to Spenser for the numbers and find out how many students couldn’t get seats and are on the waiting list.
The MBA has our work cut out for us, and we will reach out to Rep. Topper and share our findings. We need more trade school seats!