Community Partners
Building Pathways Through Community Partnerships
Catalyst Connection partners with local community organizations to deliver valuable, work-ready skills to job seekers of every age and background, building strong pathways into in-demand manufacturing careers. Through collaborations with organizations such as training providers, makerspaces, and workforce programs, learners gain access to hands-on training, maker education, and industry-aligned competencies that prepare them for real-world opportunities. These partnerships connect participants to employer-driven training, career exploration, and direct employment pathways, helping individuals build the skills, confidence, and experience needed to succeed in advanced manufacturing. Please take time to learn more about our partner organizations and the opportunities they offer to advance your career goals.
Get to Know Our Partners
Click through below to explore each organization to see how they can help you build skills and take the next step in your career.
BotsIQ
BotsIQ is a dynamic workforce development program led by the Pittsburgh Chapter National Tooling & Machining Foundation that engages students in hands-on, real-world learning experiences designed to spark interest in manufacturing and engineering careers. Through a range of programs—including combat robotics competitions, technical training, and pre-apprenticeship opportunities—students develop in-demand skills in areas such as design, machining, programming, and problem-solving while working alongside educators and industry mentors. Participants build and test robotic systems, apply STEM concepts in practical settings, and gain exposure to real manufacturing environments, helping them connect classroom learning to career pathways. By combining technical skill-building with teamwork, innovation, and career exploration, BotsIQ plays a critical role in preparing the next generation of skilled workers and strengthening the future manufacturing workforce.
Community College of Allegheny County
Community College of Allegheny County’s (CCAC) newest building on their Allegheny Campus, the 60,000-square-foot Center for Education, Innovation & Training (CEIT) opened for classes in January 2024, showcasing the college’s long-standing commitment to preparing the region’s workforce with the skills employers need. Programs in high-demand and emerging fields available at the center include Computer Information Technology programs like Cybersecurity Support Specialist and Software Development; Culinary programs like Baking & Pastry Arts and Foodservice & Restaurant Management; and Skilled Trades programs like Mechatronics and Additive Manufacturing. At CEIT, students in these programs benefit from hands-on experience with state-of-the-art kitchen laboratories and the specialized facilities used in Industry 4.0, including 3D printing, computer numerical control (CNC) machining, machine learning, and robotics and automation. By fully integrating workforce development with industry-recognized credentials and credit degrees, CCAC is providing our students with job-ready training as well as educational pathways designed for lifelong career success.
Learn More About CCAC CEIT Building
Community Forge
Community Forge: Forging Futures offers workforce development training in AI competencies, advanced manufacturing, and cutting edge technology. Students will have access to expert educators, and state of the art equipment. This program will provide students with the employability skills, credentials, and wrap around services to succeed in a career in manufacturing and robotics.
Learn More About Community Forge
Digital Foundry
The Digital Foundry exists to create new opportunities in the workforce by expanding access to digital technologies and future-ready skills, working in partnership with the Economic Growth Connection of Westmoreland County to accelerate innovation and competitiveness across the manufacturing sector. Its workforce programs bring together industry, educators, and job seekers to build real-world capabilities in areas such as industrial robotics, automation, and smart manufacturing systems, where participants learn to program, operate, and troubleshoot equipment through hands-on experience. Learners also develop critical digital manufacturing skills in data-driven production, including exposure to IIoT, sensors, analytics, and integrated systems that power today’s most advanced operations—helping individuals and companies adopt new technologies, improve decision-making, and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving industrial landscape.
Learn More About Digital Foundry
East End Cooperative Ministries
East End Cooperative Ministry (EECM) was founded in 1970 as a collective response to changes in the East End community, born when local faith communities recognized that the troubles of the community were too great for any one of them to address alone. EECM was initially envisioned to serve the young, the elderly, and the poor of the area, as well as to promote interfaith events. Throughout its 50 years, EECM has continued to respond to changing community needs through its many programs and services.
Industrial Arts Workshop
The Industrial Arts Workshop (IAW) equips youth and adults in the Pittsburgh region by blending arts, community development, and workforce preparation. Through hands-on experiences in sculpture design and welding, participants gain practical skills and meaningful exposure that help prepare them for careers in welding, manufacturing, skilled trades, the arts, or other industries. Graduates of the program leave with increased confidence, resilience, and readiness to succeed in their future paths.
National Center for Urban Solutions
Catalyst Connection has partnered with National Center for Urban Solutions (NCUS) to train and place dozens of students in advanced manufacturing roles in Southwestern PA. All students participate in self guided training through ToolingU.
New Century Careers
New Century Careers’ Manufacturing 2000 (M2K) program is a state-registered pre-apprenticeship initiative designed to build a strong pipeline of skilled machinists and strengthen the regional manufacturing workforce. Offered at no cost to qualified participants, the program provides up to 600 hours of hands-on training across multiple levels, combining technical instruction with professional development and job readiness support. Participants develop practical skills operating industry equipment such as lathes, milling machines, CNC machines, saws, and grinders, while also learning blueprint reading, applied math, layout, and benchwork. In addition to technical training, students participate in resume building, soft skills workshops, and industry field experiences, connecting them directly to local employers and career opportunities. By blending real-world machining experience with career preparation and employer engagement, M2K equips individuals with the skills and confidence needed to launch successful careers in advanced manufacturing.
Learn More About New Century Careers M2K Program
Protohaven
Protohaven is a nonprofit community makerspace and design and fabrication school that supports workforce development by providing access to tools, education, and hands-on training in a wide range of creative and technical disciplines. Through classes, workshops, and open lab access, participants build practical maker skills while developing industry-relevant competencies such as design, fabrication, problem-solving, and production techniques using professional-grade equipment across multiple disciplines. By creating a supportive environment where learners at all levels can gain experience, refine their skills, and work on real projects, Protohaven helps individuals translate hands-on learning into career pathways, entrepreneurship opportunities, and long-term success in the regional manufacturing and creative economy.
Prototype PGH
Prototype PGH is a nonprofit organization focused on workforce development by expanding access to maker education, technical training, and entrepreneurship opportunities for individuals from historically underrepresented communities. Through initiatives like its “Maker to Manufacturer” program, participants build foundational maker skills while gaining access to valued, career-relevant competencies such as problem-solving, design thinking, and hands-on production experience. By combining skill-building workshops, industry exposure, and supportive partnerships, Prototype PGH helps individuals develop the confidence and capabilities needed to transition into manufacturing careers, strengthening both the regional workforce and long-term economic opportunity.
Learn More About Prototype PGH
Westmoreland County Community College
Westmoreland County Community College’s (WCCC) Advanced Technology Center (ATC) offers a wide range of hands-on programs designed to prepare students for in-demand careers in advanced manufacturing and skilled trades. Students can pursue degrees, diplomas, and certificates in fields such as robotics, welding engineering technology, additive manufacturing, machining, HVAC, electronics engineering technology, drafting and design, and applied industrial technology. These programs are delivered in modern labs with industry-standard equipment and are guided by input from regional employers, ensuring students gain practical, job-ready skills that align with current workforce needs.
