We are conducting round tables and meetings with farms and agriculture businesses as we explore an agriculture industry partnership to support our vast agriculture community in our eight-county region in South Central PA.  Stay tuned for more information.

At our kickoff meeting on August 17, twenty-six construction companies and thirteen community-based partners met to discuss challenges and opportunities in the South Central region construction industry sector.  Through a facilitated-led discussion group, the companies established three priorities to work on during this program year:  Adult Workforce, Youth Workforce, and Owner Hiring Processes.  The Adult Workforce group will focus on increasing the talent pipeline by recruiting justice-impaired job seekers.  The Youth Workforce group is working on an asset map exercise of people, partnerships, experiences, and space before scheduling programs.  The Owner Hiring Processes team will provide employers with solutions and best practices to enhance connectivity with qualified applicants and creative pipelines for future workers.  If interested in joining our partnership, please contact Cynthia Picht at cpicht@scpaworks.org.

The South Central Next Gen new technology community website has launched!  There are excellent resources for employers, students, and job seekers.  Employers can become a member of the partnership at no cost, highlight your company,  and post your job openings.  To find out more about us and how you can become a member, please visit the website:

https://www.techconnect.jobs/about-south-central-pa-nextgen-tech-and-techconnect/

On a month-to-month basis, our region has over 500 open, high-paying technology jobs.  To find out about the top five technology jobs and career pathways, please  visit our website link below:

https://www.techconnect.jobs/

In South Central PA, manufacturers’ primary challenge is the urgent demand for a skilled workforce. The manufacturing sector in the region is expanding, marked by a competitive industry, and production occupations are deemed the most difficult to fill. However, manufacturers grapple with meeting factory orders due to supply chain limitations and insufficient technology adoption. Notable corporations like Hershey’s, Harley-Davidson, Keurig, Dr. Pepper, and local manufacturing companies, form the Industry Partnership crucial for sustaining the regional economy. Rejuvenated in November 2018, the partnership addresses critical issues such as the skills gap, supply chain comprehension, and technology deployment. Led by Co-Chair employers Phoenix Contact and Weldon Solutions, the partnership involves key public partners, educational institutions, and workforce development boards, fostering collaborative efforts to advance manufacturing in South Central PA.

The Industry Partnership is in the process of completing a study on Barriers to Retention. Employer partners are actively surveying their employees, and the Manufacturers’ Association is compiling and benchmarking the study to extract insights regarding best practices and obstacles to retaining current staff. Given the persistent tight labor market, the forecasted mass retirement, and the transition into a pandemic or prolonged labor shortage, there is a pressing need to identify and disseminate new and innovative strategies within the manufacturing community to address this challenge. Unlike other studies, this one is specific to South Central PA employees and the manufacturing industry.  The study will be available in Q1 of 2024.