Oh-Penn Workforce Summit Welcomes Educators

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

LISBON, Ohio -- Educators from Ohio and Pennsylvania can earn continuing education credits for their participation in the Oh-Penn Manufacturing Workforce Summit. The event is scheduled for April 12 at Youngstown State University.

The summit is designed to bring together all sectors of the community around the issue of career paths that will ensure a well-educated and trained workforce with the capacity to meet the growing needs of the region’s businesses.  To encourage participation by educators, the summit has qualified to provide continuing education credits to attendees.

Educators from Ohio can earn six contact hours sponsored by the Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana Educational Service Centers. Pennsylvania educators will receive six Act 48 hours upon completion.

“To have meaningful discussions about issues of workforce development and training we need the active involvement of educators,” said Jessica Borza, executive director of the Mahoning Valley Manufacturing Coalition. “This event has been recognized by the appropriate educational authorities in both states as worthy of continuing education credits to the participants.”

The Oh-Penn Manufacturing Workforce Summit is co-sponsored by MVMC and the Industry Partners of Lawrence and Mercer Counties, Pa.  Summit participants will:

• Hear first-hand about workforce challenges from regional manufacturers.
• Gain an understanding of the immediate opportunities, career pathways and associated wages for skilled workers employed by regional manufacturers.
• Learn how educators are working with industry to solve the skills mismatch at all age levels to be more relevant to the needs of manufacturing.
• Participate in breakout sessions about attracting, preparing and retaining a qualified workforce.
• Share ideas and solutions that will become part of our region’s action plan to address this critical need and learn how to be involved.

Registration is now open online at www.mvmanufacturing.com, or www.industryneedsyou.com, or contact Sue Watson, 330 307 3399 or [email protected]. The registration fee is $50 per person, $350 for table of 8.

The Mahoning Valley Manufacturing Coalition was formed to provide a network for manufacturers to share ideas and resources to promote development of a skilled workforce, engage local educators, and build awareness of the career pathways to enter and succeed in skilled, high-wage occupations.                              

The Advanced Materials & Diversified Manufacturing Industry Partnership of Lawrence & Mercer Counties was formed to advance the efforts and increase the competitiveness of the manufacturing industry throughout the region.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.