“It's most critical for students and employers. It will give our students a chance for a clear path to the future where they are more likely to invest their time, energy and resources into it,” said Franklin Regional Superintendent Gennaro “Jamie” Piraino, the new chairman of the Westmoreland County Forum for Workforce Development.
That organization consists of 41 members, including business leaders, all 17 of the county's public school superintendents and administrators from the three career and technology centers.
Piraino told more than 180 educators and business leaders at the forum's annual program at the Greensburg Country Club in Hempfield that a coordinator could set common standards for students seeking internships, externships and apprenticeships. Those common standards will be beneficial to students as well as the employers, Piraino said.
The workforce development forum has been working with the Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce to create the position and pursue funding opportunities with foundations and other sources, Piraino said.
“We need to have the conduit between the schools, the post-secondary institutions and the business community,” said Chad Amond, president of the Westmoreland Chamber.
The workforce development forum was launched in June 2014 under the auspices of the Economic Growth Connection of Westmoreland to position students for college and career paths by building public-private partnerships to address what business and educators have called the “skills gap.”
“Our goal is to bring the business, industry and educators together ... to align our curriculum to what business and industry is looking for to make sure students are prepared for those jobs that are changing so quickly,” Hempfield Area Superintendent Barbara Marin said.
It's important to put a strong focus on creating career pathways for students as early as middle school, Marin said. By having students prepared for careers and with the skills needed by employers, “it will make sure this is where companies want to locate.”
“These (workforce) challenges can't be solved in a silo. The crisis can't be solved by one single institution,” Amond said.
While praising the efforts of the public-private partnership that is attempting to create a workforce to match employers' needs in Westmoreland County, state Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera said the state must invest in career pathways for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, as well as in post-secondary education.
“There is no one strategy that supports all our children,” said Rivera, who was superintendent of the Lancaster School District before becoming the state's education secretary in June 2015. By using multiple pathways to success, “we can excite our education system,” Rivera said.
Rather than focusing all the educational resources on improving that one test score. it would be better to take the system back to focusing on what is best for the students, Rivers said.
Norwin Superintendent William Kerr, the former workforce development forum chairman, said college students need career pathways. Many graduate with high debt, but without the skills for gainful and meaningful employment.
Kerr said he sees a need for what he called “gold-collar workers,” referring to students with sophisticated technological skills, strong academic skills and a commitment to personal excellence.
“Technical education and career readiness are central to economic growth,” Kerr said. “That's a winning combination.”
©2016 Tribune-Review (Greensburg, Pa.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
