Sep 23, 2020
For the past 130 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania has built a rich legacy of being one of the most comprehensive youth services providers in both Allegheny and Somerset counties by living out our mission to activate and advance the potential in every child by doing whatever it takes to ensure they have GREAT FUTURES.
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Sep 16, 2020
Workforce development and training aligned with 21st century demands is essential to enhancing the economic growth of the Greater Pittsburgh region. Over the past few years, as our aging workforce has started to retire, there has been a noticeable void of qualified individuals to fill the gaps. With certificate programs, continuing education credits and training programs quickly becoming the industry standard for education, the Community College of Allegheny County has positioned itself as the gateway to regional employment opportunities.
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Sep 9, 2020
In manufacturing and other applied technology sectors, a shortage of skilled workers has been a vexing and ongoing challenge for many years. Too few students pursue manufacturing-related career pathways, too few parents know enough about modern manufacturing and the associated opportunities to encourage that pursuit, and the existing workforce is short on the required skills to fill the needs of employers. Add the retirement of 10,000 baby boomers per day to the mix, and you have a perfect storm of skilled labor disconnect.
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Sep 2, 2020
A frontrunner in Industry 4.0 training, the Schmidt Training and Technology Center, a dedicated facility at Reading Area Community College for advanced manufacturing technology in Reading, PA, is ready to position operators and technicians to be solely efficient and effective - no outsourcing.
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Aug 26, 2020
Information technology has become an integral part of every business, and employers need a workforce that is proficient in technology. Over the years, the need for technology skills has grown beyond just the IT department. Due to this high demand, many employers no longer require a four year degree for technology roles that can be filled by candidates who have the specific skills and certifications to perform the job.
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Aug 12, 2020
Berks Connections/Pretrial Services has been in the Life Improvement Business serving the criminal justice population in Berks County for close to 45 years. A lack of job training and opportunities for stable employment at a living wage present significant barriers to our clients’ reentry success. Lack of employment is not only a quality of life issue, but can also have serious implications on an individual’s likelihood to recidivate.
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Jul 7, 2020 | Pennsylvania Business Report
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Jul 2, 2020 | Lindsay Andrews
PA Chamber of Business and Industry President and CEO Gene Barr issued the following statement after Gov. Tom Wolf signed S.B. 637, legislation that helps Pennsylvanians with criminal records re-enter the workforce by reforming the process by which they can obtain an occupational license:
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Jun 26, 2020 | Scranton Times Leader
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Feb 24, 2020 | Lindsay Andrews
In this era of partisan bickering, it often seems as if there is little Republicans and Democrats can accomplish. But despite all the gridlock reported in media headlines, the Pennsylvania State Senate recently approved my bill, S.B. 637, by a unanimous vote. Their strong support for the legislation further underscores an emerging bipartisan consensus towards commonsense criminal justice reform that facilitates former inmates’ successful re-entry into our workforce and communities.
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Feb 24, 2020 | Lindsay Andrews
By Secretary Teresa Miller
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Feb 14, 2020
Mandatory infrastructure upgrades are forcing contractors and utilities to rapidly increase work capacity. However, this is completely dependent upon companies having the trained staff available to tackle a growing list of projects. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Pennsylvania alone needs to add about 137,000 construction workers by 2021 in order to keep up with demand. Not only does this require hiring new employees, but also retaining and developing them to keep pace with the needs of the nation’s infrastructure.
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Oct 10, 2019
Tucked away in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania College of Technology is building a career-ready workforce. As a special mission affiliate of Penn State, Penn College has advanced to become a nationally ranked, premier technical institution where a Penn College degree—combining a comprehensive education with hands-on experience using advanced technologies—is a considerable advantage in the world of work. With a history of innovation and flexibility to meet emerging, real-world needs, the institution is positioned to attain even greater levels of success.
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Aug 6, 2019 | Lindsay Andrews
Vincent readily admits he was immature in his early 20s, a time when he was partying and convicted of driving under the influence, making false statements to police and retail theft.
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Aug 5, 2019 | Lindsay Andrews
Businesses that employ people with disabilities not only fill available labor needs, but often realize additional benefits and business opportunities. Employees with disabilities often assist companies in reaching NEW markets, suggesting product and process improvements, improving an organization's turnover rates and much more.
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May 22, 2019 | Lori K. Renne
Our recent All Business podcast takes us back to school where we are talking to Dr. Ruth Patterson at Olney Charter High School in Philadelphia about their JAG program—Job’s for America’s Graduates. Listen in and learn how this program is teaching students employability skills and increases their workforce opportunities, all while reducing poverty and unemployment.
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To be successful in today’s global economy, Pennsylvania must develop and harness the talent, skills and capacities of its citizens. Students must be prepared and workers must be able to adapt and continually acquire the training and skills required in the modern workplace. Unfortunately, public workforce development programs are too often based on out-of-date industrial models and not designed to meet current needs.
The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry strongly encourages policymakers to undertake regular and thorough reviews of existing workforce development programs to make sure each is achieving its objective at an acceptable cost-per-participant. These reviews should include a cost-benefit analysis and always strive to reduce fragmentation and provide more efficient delivery of services. Moreover, these reviews should be readily available to the public.
In addition, the Pennsylvania Chamber supports:
- The establishment of clear performance criteria and system-wide accountability standards for all public workforce training programs;
- Regular monitoring of program administration and outcomes to assess efficacy and facilitate continual improvement of all existing public workforce training programs, as well as addressing any regulatory obstacles that prevent or inhibit ideal program implementation and operation;
- Efforts to eliminate bias against vocational education programs;
- Expanding and improving educational options in the technical fields and others that require some level of post-secondary education to help job-seekers meet the requirements for employers in the economy of today and in the future;
- Systems that efficiently connect job seekers with job openings; particularly for those occupations where there are significant and growing opportunities;
- Determining current and long-term community workforce needs, tailoring local programs accordingly and creating nimble systems that can react in a timely way to market demands;
- Promotion of public-private partnerships and private sector educational and training programs, such as apprenticeships and other innovative approaches to providing workplace experience and skill attainment opportunities; and
- Encouraging institutions of higher education to offer courses that align with workforce needs, such as online programs, that are structured to best facilitate participation from non-traditional students.
