More African Americans building careers in the trades…PIT2Work celebrates one-year anniversary 

WOMEN GETTING INTO THE TRADES—LISA GILMORE, ALEXYS MEDINA, EBONI HARRIS, SIERRA MOTEN, EMILY FEROCE. (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO) by Rocco Pacella and Julie Bercik Blue Sky News Few airports in the U.S. have programs geared toward the development of their regional workforce. One of those airports is PIT. Now celebrating its one-year anniversary, the PIT2Work pre-apprenticeship training program, hosted at PIT, comes at no cost to participants. For the participants, who come from six Western Pennsylvania counties, it means much more than a new career. “This has been a great opportunity… a life-changing experience,” said Devin Hale, a PIT2Work graduate and new member of the International Union of Operating Engineers. Hale is currently working on the new PIT terminal construction site, the very place where his new career through PIT2Work began. “I can better provide for my family and everything. It (has been) an amazing journey.” Approximately 80 participants have gone through the PIT2Work program in its first year, and many are now working members of local Pittsburgh trade unions. “This is not typical of what airports do, but we feel an obligation to make sure that we are providing equal access to opportunity,” said Allegheny County Airport Authority CEO...