Each year the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry generates a draft list of High Priority Occupations (HPOs) for each county. This is Philadelphia County’s draft HPOs list. Local areas may petition to include other occupations based on known career pathways to middle-skilled jobs, specific needs of employers that meet the annual wage of about $42,004 annually, and employer partnerships that work together to train workers.
Employers; workforce, education, training and economic development agencies; and members of the public may request that Philadelphia Works, Inc. petition for the inclusion of an occupation in the 2024-2025 High Priority Occupations for Philadelphia County.
Interested individuals may email [email protected] by Wednesday, May 1, 2024 to request a petition, including the following information:
- A detailed explanation of why the occupation should be included as a High Priority Occupation for Philadelphia
- Which petition method is most appropriate for the petition: Unmet Employer Demand; Career Pathway; or Local Workforce Initiatives/Sector Partnerships
- Copies of required letters for the petition type chosen, including those provided by employers, initiative leaders, or sector partnership leaders. If you have not obtained these signed letters yet, please list the letter writers who have committed to writing letters for the petition.
The Research & Data team at Philadelphia Works, Inc. will review each petition request and respond to the requester as soon as possible. As the Workforce Development Board of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Works is responsible for submitting all HPO petitions to the state CWIA agency by close of business, June 7, 2024. The CWIA will release the final 2024 HPO lists in August 2024.
