Workforce Spotlight

Community College of Allegheny County -- The Gateway to Regional Employment Opportunities

September 16, 2020

Workforce development and training aligned with 21^st 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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Addressing the Talent Pipeline – How Penn College is Revolutionizing Apprenticeship Training to Close the Skills Gap

September 09, 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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Reading Area Community College is Preparing the Next Generation Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Now

September 02, 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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NuPaths: A Partner in Building Your IT workforce

August 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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Junior Achievement of Western PA Creatively Connects Students with Employers

August 19, 2020

Junior Achievement’s K-12 career education programs provide exciting, eye-opening realizations about how our economy works, how to find and keep a job and the role that business plays in our lives. For more than 80 years, JA has responded to various challenges in the workforce by creating local programs to meet the needs of our business community.

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PA Chamber Educational Foundation Announces 2020 Work Ethic Scholarship Winners

August 12, 2020

The Pennsylvania Chamber Educational Foundation is proud to announce that 18 Commonwealth students have been awarded a total of $108,000 in mikeroweWORKS Work Ethic Scholarships. The selected students are attending technical schools located within the Commonwealth to pursue careers in the skilled trades.  As part of its ongoing commitment to address the Commonwealth’s job skills gap, the PA Chamber Educational Foundation has teamed up with the mikeroweWORKS Foundation for the past four years. 

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Berks Connections/Pretrial Services Offer Successful Program to Help Reentrants Obtain Employment in the Construction Trades

August 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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Flagger Force: Partnerships to Grow a Skilled Workforce

February 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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Light a Spark

February 11, 2020

STEM careers continue to grow with 75% of the fast-growing occupations over the next 10 years requiring significant preparation in math and science.  With women making up less than 25% of the STEM workforce, we must help young girls, especially those possibly suppressing their interest in STEM classes, see themselves in those jobs

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Pennsylvania’s Work Ethic Scholarship Recipients Preparing to Take On Careers in the Skilled Trades

November 19, 2019

Workforce development and addressing the Commonwealth’s jobs skills gap continue to be a major focus for the business community.  As a cornerstone of the PA Chamber’s mission, our organization – through our Start the Conversation Here initiative – has been working to bridge the gap between Pennsylvania employers’ current and future employment needs and the skills of today’s workforce.  Pennsylvania’s diverse employment needs across a wide range of industries provide ample job opportunities. However, the state continues to have people without jobs and job opportunities without the people with the skills to fill them.  Despite the good paying, in-demand careers that the skilled trades provide, they still tend to get overlooked by students and their families. 

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What’s WORKING at Pennsylvania College of Technology?

October 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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Job’s for America’s Graduates

May 22, 2019 | Lori 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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How Military Veteran Partners is Generating More Veteran Employment Opportunities

April 29, 2019

Around 60 percent of veteran-owned businesses have experienced at least one financial shortfall, according to a recent report on veteran entrepreneurs. Beyond that, 75 percent of veteran entrepreneurs who were surveyed said that a lack of social capital — networks, mentors and other experts — was their biggest challenge to starting and growing their business.

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The Challenge Program Inc.: Meeting Workforce and Education Needs in Allegheny County

February 13, 2019

Since 2010, national and regional studies have been ringing the bell about a shortage of skilled and qualified employees coming our way. The future is now here.

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In Centre County, business and education are joining forces to resolve to address local workforce needs

January 10, 2019

With the goal of building a better local and regional workforce, the Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County and the county’s educational leaders have joined forces to begin addressing the workforce needs of employers across industry sectors.

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An inside look at Forbes Magazine No. 1 Trade School: Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics

November 19, 2018

Interview with PIA President CEO Suzanne Markel:
Congratulations on landing the Number One spot in Forbes’s “Top Trade School” List! What is the energy level at the school — and with your students — after receiving this honor?

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Workforce and The C-Suite: Why Senior Leadership Needs To Be At The Helm

October 25, 2018

In a recent webinar presented by the PA Chamber Education Foundation; Joe Harford, founder and president of cyber security company Reclamere, provided an overview of why the c-level must be involved in workforce to compete and remain in business. 

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