From staff reports

MARYSVILLE — Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry Secretary Nancy A. Walker visited Marysville on Thursday to meet with high school students with disabilities participating in the department’s MY Work summer employment program.

Created by the Department of Labor & Industry’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, the MY Work program connects students with disabilities to paid work opportunities in their communities. According to the department, students who gain paid work experience before graduating are four times more likely to obtain competitive employment after high school.

“Watching these students take pride in their work and the impact they’re making in Marysville is a powerful reminder of what happens when we invest in opportunity,” Walker said in a news release. “Through MY Work, these young people aren’t just earning a paycheck — they’re gaining confidence, strengthening their communities and discovering what’s possible for their futures.”

The students are spending eight weeks working for the Borough of Marysville, where they are cleaning concession stands at five ball fields, landscaping public spaces, painting over graffiti and improving an overlook along the Susquehanna River.

This year marks a milestone for the program, with more than 1,000 students participating at more than 250 work sites in all 67 Pennsylvania counties, according to the department.

The MY Work program began in Allegheny County in 2016 with 50 students before expanding statewide in 2021. Since then, more than 2,600 Pennsylvania high school students have participated in paid summer employment through the program. The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation covers participants’ wages, allowing municipalities to host students at no cost.

The department said OVR serves more than 76,000 students and adults with disabilities annually. Last year, nearly 18,000 students received pre-employment transition services, including paid work-based learning experiences, while more than 6,400 individuals were placed into competitive integrated employment.

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed 2026-27 budget includes an additional $1 million for OVR and calls for increased investments in career and technical education, apprenticeship programs, Schools-to-Work initiatives and industry partnerships aimed at strengthening Pennsylvania’s workforce.