News

     The Northwest Pennsylvania CareerLink® consisting of Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Venango and Warren counties is now under the operational direction of Ms. Jeannine Drositis. In her position Jeannine will be responsible for the coordination, alignment, execution and oversight of high quality Northwest PA CareerLink® programmatic services under the federal Workforce Investment Act.  
    With over 25 years of experience in business management, operations management, accounting and customer service, she will work in collaboration with the Northwest PA Workforce Investment Board, CareerLink® Operator Consortium and the Site Administrators in the six county Northwest Pennsylvania region to set the tone for internal management decisions and public image. 
    Prior to accepting the Northwest PA CareerLink® Director of Operations position, Jeannine was employed with Integrated Deicing Services, LLC , a contract deicing company providing deicing services to commercial air carriers as a Director of Administration from 2004 until 2009. She established, merged and developed what is the headquarters of the company located in Moon Township, Pennsylvania.  She attended and initiated various membership based committees and represented the company in organizational fundraisers, meetings, study groups and relationships to promote the company and its business.
    Previous to this, Jeannine held various positions as a Passenger Service Shift Manager, Passenger Service Supervisor with US Airways, Inc from 1985 until 2004 and was the Duty Manager for the US Airways Inc and British Airways united product delivery program from 1993 to 1996.  She was instrumental in the airport security processes and was a liason with Local, State and Federal Authorities interpreting and deploying security directives, requirements and processes. She also promoted product sales and delivery, customer relations, managed accounting functions and staff and overall employee relations.  She served on the Travel and Tourism Board for the Parkway West Technical School.  Her role included promoting the travel and tourism career to youth participants. She was a participant and served as chair on many committees within the organization and its supporting industries. She was member of the Management Council and holds various leadership certificates.
    Simultaneously, she was manager and partner for a family owned business, The Aliquippa Fruit Market, Inc. from 1993 to 2003. She shared the daily and overall management of this business including accounting, product delivery, sales, employee relations and community relations. 
    Jeannine’s education includes many leadership courses and certificates and The Community College in Beaver County and Penn State University with a concentration in Business Administration.   The Northwest Pennsylvania Workforce Investment Board, the Regional Center for Workforce Excellence, the PA CareerLink® Operator Consortium and the Northwest Pennsylvania CareerLink® welcome Jeannine to the team and look forward to working with her. 

 

Has your business or agency recently upgraded your computers or are you planning to replace your older computers in the near future?

If you don’t have a plan for your out-dated equipment, you have an opportunity to give back to your community by donating your computers to a good cause in Crawford County.

St. Benedict Education Center works with the PA CareerLink® of Crawford County, a nonprofit organization, to provide education, resources, and training to low-income residents of the region. Working directly with job seekers, St. Benedict Education Center helps these low income individuals gain skills in job searching and basic computer operations. Learning how to access information and use basic equipment is a key step in these participants’ needs to prepare for a job.

If you have approximately 10 functioning computers that you no longer require, your donation could help dozen of people each week to gain these essential skills and ultimately, move into more advanced training or employment. The computer donations do not need to have high-performance software or hardware, but the equipment should be operational with limited issues in the very basic functions needed for these individuals to begin learning. If you’re able to make this important donation, please contact Sister Judith Trambley at 814-452-4072 ext. 232.

  

As the Outreach Coordinator for the Regional Center for Workforce Excellence Marsha is responsible for the facilitation and management of training plans for employers in the major Northwest PA Industry Partnerships. She also manages all outreach programs for employers, including the Business Services Units in the six counties of Northwest PA. 
    As Marsha’s career path was laid it seemed to be leading inevitably to her current set of responsibilities to workforce development efforts in the region. Starting out as an Administrator for a plastics manufacturer in Erie, she gained valuable experience acting as a liaison with various tool and die companies.  This early involvement with manufacturers provided insight that can be applied to her present role. 
    Marsha completed her degree in Business Administration at Edinboro University and supplemented it with a degree in Russian language.  She then became the Crawford County Director for the Northwest Pennsylvania Technical Institute, which she describes as “a community college without walls.”  Employers could gain access through this organization to programs of various training providers.
    She moved to a new position with an organization that was then called Business Retention Technologies (now known as Executive Pulse).  Responsible for Warren, Crawford, Venango and Forest counties, she administered the Business Retention and Expansion Program (BREP).  In the process she interviewed 500 employers a year, gaining knowledge that is applicable to her role of coordinating RCWE’s Business Services Units, who currently conduct the BREP interviews and provide the information to a statewide database.
    Marsha then directed her efforts into the field of economic development, working with the Crawford County Development Corporation, which is now the Economic Progress Alliance.   She worked with local companies to help them obtain economic development loans and workforce training funds.  She conducted research for attracting new businesses, and developed information for interested companies regarding site selections.  She also made all of the arrangements for visiting businesses.  During this time she began work on her Masters Degree in Economic Development from Penn State University. 
    Her economic development experience led to an opportunity as an Economic Developer for the City of Rock Island.  Her tenure there was interrupted by the need to return to Meadville to attend to health issues of her parents.  When she returned, she took her current position with RCWE.  Her range of experience working with employers, with workforce training and with economic development matched the requirements of her position precisely.  She describes the position as “a perfect fit.  I knew all the people and I had the background for the job.”
    She views her major accomplishment as "keeping the Industry Partnerships functioning in an environment of funding uncertainties.”  She regrets that some of the IP’s “have lost sight of the great things that they have done in the past.”
    The future holds real opportunities in Marsha’s opinion.  She believes that the Federal Government will support initiatives by industry sector.  She sees the need to develop multi-year strategic plans and work plans.   She also envisions a collaborative approach between Industry Partnerships and economic development organizations.
    “Under the current economic climate, we have far more skilled workers, both blue collar and white collar, than is usual.  We need to develop new marketing niches to apply these skills to the workforce.”
    To achieve these goals, in Marsha’s opinion, “the Industry Partnerships need to recognize that they are not merely training funding programs.  It is their collaborative strength that will enhance their economic growth at the industry cluster and sector levels.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$5,000 GoodSearch Giveaway - Three Days Only!
 
GoodSearch will donate a $1 for every toolbar that is downloaded between April 6th at 9am EST and April 9th at 9am EST up to $5,000!! Please download the toolbar right now by following this link - (see below for instructions on how to create a link to your customized toolbar download page)
 
Our new RCWE toolbar is free to download and allows you to raise money for our cause every time you search or shop online! Once added to IE or Firefox, each time you shop at more than 1,300 stores (from Amazon to Zazzle!) a percentage of your purchase will automatically be donated to Northwest PA workforce development at no cost to you (and you may even save money as the toolbar provides coupons and deals as well!). The toolbar also has a search box and each time you search the Internet, about a penny is donated to Northwest PA workforce development efforts.
 
Please hurry and do this now so that we can earn the $1 bonus per toolbar!

And, please pass this along to all of your friends. The two minutes it takes to add this toolbar to your browser can make a lifetime of difference for our cause!
 
Get the toolbar NOW! http://www.goodsearch.com/nonprofit/regional-center-for-workforce-excellence.aspx



Directions to Get Your Direct Toolbar Link (URL)

To generate your customized toolbar download page, please follow these steps:

  1. Go to www.goodsearch.com
  2. Enter your cause into the "Who do you GoodSearch for" box
  3. Click on "Get the GoodSearch toolbar"
  4. Copy the url from that page - that is your customized toolbar download page

As the effects of the Great Recession linger, it's unlikely that sticking with the status quo will be a sustainable model for economic development and job growth in Chautauqua County, or nationwide.

For that reason, the Chautauqua County Workforce Investment Board (WIB) has embarked on a new, joint venture with the workforce investment boards of northwestern Pennsylvania and northeastern Ohio to create a louder, more unified voice for regional development projects.

"By coming together as three regions from three different states," said Sue McNamara, executive director of the Chautauqua County WIB, "what we began to do is to create a stronger voice for the need of federal investment in the areas of employment and training for our region because we represent about a million people across the tri-state region."

The collaboration unites the three WIBs that provide services for the workforces of the mostly rural counties between Cleveland and Buffalo. Joining Chautauqua County in this great lake tri-state initiative are Geauga, Ashtabula and Portage Counties of Ohio and Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Warren and Venango Counties of Pennsylvania.

Last week, at the SUNY Fredonia High-Tech Business Incubator, McNamara met with Craig Sernik, executive director of the Geauga Ashtabula Portage Partnership, and Michele Zieziula, chief executive officer of northwest Pennsylvania's Regional Center for Workforce Excellence, along with other stakeholders, including Bruce Herman, the deputy commissioner for Workforce Development in the New York State Department of Labor, and Joseph W. Mayernick, executive director of the Growth Partnership for Ashtabula County, Ohio.

View the complete article from the Dunkirk Observer here...

http://www.observertoday.com/page/content.detail/id/538245.html?nav=5047 

(E+T) x STEM= WW
 Education plus Training x STEM = A Winning Workforce

 

 

CONFERENCE INFORMATION:

 

 

 

Butler County Community College
724-287-8711, Ext. 8159
888-826-2829, Ext. 8159

NW PA STEM CONTACT:
Dr. Ken Borland
(814)-449-6477
borlandken@roadrunner.com

Come join the efforts of businesses, school districts, and colleges to make our region more competitive through Workforce Development in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Butler County Community College

8:00 a.m.—3:45 p.m.

REGISTER NOW... www.bc3.edu/STEM ... BE PART OF THE EQUATION!

The Northwest PA STEM Conference will include the following:

A focus on the urgency, awareness, and engagement of STEM principles for K-12 educators, higher education, legislators, business and industry.

Sessions highlighting collaboration and best practices including, but not limited to, robotics, emerging technology, bio-medical/health services, green sustainability, and Marcellus Shale

Breakfast & Lunch

HARRISBURG -- More than 200 small businesses in Pennsylvania will cut nearly $2 million in expenses from their bottom lines each year with the help of Small Business Advantage Grants that Governor Edward G. Rendell announced today.

The Governor called the grants a sound investment in Pennsylvania’s economy because the first year savings alone—which will also recur in subsequent years—exceed the $1.2 million in grants that were awarded this round.

For more information, the complete press release, and to view the list of Small Business Advantage Grant recipients, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us, keyword: SBAdvantage, or call 717-783-8411.

 

CONTACT:

 

John Repetz, DEP

717-787-1323

Michael Smith, Governor’s Office

717-783-1116

The U.S. Department of Labor - Employment and Training Administration has provided a general overview of the aggregate characteristics, services, and outcomes for the population of Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Adult and Dislocated Workers who have exited the program and received training services between Program Years (PY) 2004 and PY 2008.

Download this full document here.

March 31 - Meet and Greet the GBA Branch of Northwest PA

WASHINGTON — A report released today by the U.S. Department of Labor found that the 2009 Recovery Act Summer Youth Employment Initiative was largely successful in connecting young workers with employment experiences. Overall, 317,000 young people took part in the initiative.

"This summer jobs initiative is a triple win: It gives young people real work experience, provides a measure of relief to those working families who are struggling during tough times and allows employers to give back to their communities," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Today's report shows that summer youth employment can make meaningful work experiences a reality for young people. The report also provides valuable suggestions on concrete ways to build on this success in 2010."

The report was developed by Mathematica Policy Research and funded by the Department of Labor. Titled "Reinvesting in America's Youth: Lessons from the 2009 Recovery Act Summer Youth Employment Initiative," it analyzes monthly performance data submitted to the department's Employment and Training Administration by states and looks closely at the experiences of 20 select local areas.

Among the report's findings:

Youths were placed in summer jobs, with almost 13 percent of enrollees placed in work experiences outside summer months. Sixty-three percent of participants were in school, largely ages 18 or younger.

Nationwide, local areas reported that nearly 75 percent of youths achieved a measurable increase in their work readiness skills while participating.

Available data show a completion rate for summer work of greater than 82 percent.

Employers interviewed for this study were overwhelmingly positive about the initiative. They reported that the experience of mentoring a new employee was worth the effort and almost unanimously agreed that they would participate again if given the opportunity.

Many youths were enthusiastic about being able to help their families in tough economic times. They also reported that, in the absence of their summer jobs, they would be competing with more experienced adult workers for jobs or doing nothing productive over their summer breaks.

Northwest Pennsylvania information includes  31 youth receiving tuition assistance through individual training accounts, 117 participating in work experiences, and 416 youth taking part in the Summer Youth Employment Program through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  In addition to WIA services, funds were provided to support career development programs through community organizations and schools such as afterschool activities, career and post-secondary training exploration, tutoring and reading programs, peer-to-peer leadership activities, work experience, job shadowing,  focus groups, and juvenile probation programs. 

To view the full report (see page 145 for Key Performance Stats for PA), visit the ETA Occasional Paper Series Web site at http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/keyword.cfm?fuseaction=dsp_resultDetails&pub_id=2436&mp=y.