Christina Cassotis, CEO and Director of Allegheny County Airport Authority and Mike Embrescia, Allegheny County Council Member At Large, are pictured with the graduates from Introduction to Construction Trades Cohort 2 of 2025.
Literacy Pittsburgh has long provided math classes for participants in the Introduction to the Construction Trades pre-apprenticeship program. This year, the program and Pittsburgh Gateways received statewide and national recognition. Chaquita Barnett, Executive Program Director at Pittsburgh Gateways, shared a video about program goals and student achievements at the Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., and at an Awards Presentation at the PA Department of Labor and Industry in May 2025.
We also celebrated 2025’s second cohort of students in May. The men and women had many opportunities to explore various facets of a career in the trades, meet union leaders, practice math, obtain several certificates, and earn a stipend.
Improving Pittsburgh’s infrastructure remains an important goal for city leaders and Introduction to Construction Trades serves as an essential pipeline of talent for the region’s construction projects. Literacy Pittsburgh instructor Tina Burns, who teaches the math component notes, “This is a wonderful program that changes lives! I am so honored to work with these men and women.”
Literacy Pittsburgh (formerly Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council) helps create better lives through learning. Recognized as a national leader in adult and family literacy, Literacy Pittsburgh is the largest provider of adult basic education in Allegheny and Beaver Counties. Last year, Literacy Pittsburgh helped more than 4,000 individuals acquire the skills needed to reach their fullest potential in life and participate productively in their communities. Literacy Pittsburgh provides free, personalized instruction in workforce readiness, high school diploma test preparation, digital literacy, English language learning, math, reading, and family literacy through one-to-one and small class instruction. Founded in 1982, it serves local adults through numerous neighborhood locations and its Downtown Pittsburgh Learning Center.
