June Jobs That Pay Update: Closing the Gender Pay Gap, Attacking Potholes, Expanding Workforce Opportunities

By: The Office of Governor Tom Wolf

June 15, 2018

Economy, Environment, Equality, Government Reform, Government That Works, Infrastructure, Innovation, Jobs That Pay, Port Development, Round-Up, The Blog, Transportation, Workforce Development

This month, the commonwealth made strides to end the gender pay gap, improve critical infrastructure, and expand opportunities for businesses to grow and collaborate with the teachers of tomorrow’s talent.

Image of Governor Tom Wolf providing remarks behind a podium and standing next to women community leaders.
Equal Pay and Commonsense Licensing Reform
With PA women still paid 21% less than men for equal work, Governor Wolf took action to address the gender pay gap and signed an executive order ending the practice of state agencies requiring a job applicant to provide their salary history during the hiring process.

Governor Wolf also followed through on his executive order to examine the overhaul of the professional licensing system, calling for the removal of employment barriers, a streamlined occupational license process, and more balance between education and training requirements.

Image of Governor Tom Wolf patching up a pothole in Pittsburgh.
Attacking Potholes and Improving Infrastructure
From rural airports to major interstate roads to future innovation centers, it’s construction season and Governor Wolf has made it a priority to improve the commonwealth’s infrastructure. This month, the governor announced more than $63 million in funding for community development and infrastructure projects, including his aggressive Resurface PA initiative, a $22.3 million program to attack potholes throughout Pennsylvania.

Image of Governor Tom Wolf interacting with officials and staff in an office.
Business Collaboration and Expansions
This month, Governor Wolf announced more than $380,000 in apprenticeship programs and more than $2 million dollars in Teacher Workplace grants, allowing teacher to collaborate with industry leaders to provide students the education and job skills they need to succeed in a global economy. The governor also applauded AmerisourceBergen, Acutec Precision Aerospace, and Spartan Motors for announcing plans to expand their companies in Pennsylvania, creating more than 800 new jobs across the state.

Highlights from May – June 2018

Highlights from Instagram

Yesterday I joined @senbobcasey, @phillymayor, and local officials to celebrate the arrival of two super post-Panamax cranes at @philaport. These 32-story structures, part of the port’s record-breaking expansion supported by state investment, will allow workers to unload more and larger ships — supporting jobs in the port as well as thousands of additional waterfront-related jobs in the region. Their presence on the Delaware River will serve as physical reminder that business is booming in Pennsylvania and that the commonwealth is ready to compete with our neighboring East Coast ports. Pennsylvania’s ports are vital to the economic success of our entire commonwealth, and I am proud to say that the continued success of the Port of Philadelphia is one of my administration’s highest priorities.

A post shared by Governor Tom Wolf (@governortomwolf) on May 30, 2018 at 1:38pm PDT

Potholes across the commonwealth are officially on notice. That’s why last week I was in Pittsburgh to help fill in a pothole on the South Side and announce that we’re using as many resources as possible to fix potholes across the commonwealth. My #ResurfacePA initiative is allowing us to reach high-need roadways that otherwise would not be addressed this year. To report a pothole, call 1-800-FIX-ROAD or click the link in my bio.

A post shared by Governor Tom Wolf (@governortomwolf) on Jun 11, 2018 at 3:14pm PDT