Workforce Wayne is working for the future. At its 4th annual meeting Wednesday, organization leaders shared success stories of the past year while emphasizing that the challenges ahead for Wayne County leaves no time to rest on any laurels.
"We need to have our head in the game," Wayne County Commissioner Chairman Brian Smith addressed the crowd of 100 people at the Woodloch Springs Clubhouse. "There are obstacles in our path and the future is not so clear, but we have the right people, energy and direction we're heading in."
In a three-hour session, Workforce Wayne leaders touted the list of accomplishments achieved toward strengthening workforce skills, creating career opportunities and establishing efforts for lifelong learning.
Jennifer Porter, director of workforce initiatives, said that Workforce Wayne wants to build a 21st century workforce where residents remain in county, earning lucrative pay in high-tech fields.
"We have different things ahead of us and different decisions, but your presence and commitment will make good things happen in this corner of Pennsylvania," said Mary Beth Wood, executive director of WEDCO (Wayne Economic Development Corp.).
Porter discussed how in the past year, Workforce Wayne was awarded a half-million dollars in grants and had attracted investors such as WEDCO, Wayne Memorial Hospital and Hess Corp.
Also among achievements was establishing 11 community career and training centers at libraries in the county, setting up a community outreach campaign and building an education model in which every student in Wayne and Pike counties is working on a career path.
"Ten years from now, when we have a thriving education community with a workforce delivery system, we can look back and go 'we did it' and we will," said Joann Hudak, director of secondary education at Wallenpaupack Area High School.
The centerpiece of this future is the creation of a career technical center for Wayne and Pike counties that was outlined by Clyde K. Hornberger, executive director of the Lehigh Career & Technical Institute in Schnecksville.
"The synergy of this group will make it happen," he said. "We need to make sure this is sound education that makes sense."
The unnamed center would house 800 students in 10 classrooms on a 14-acre site. While a concept for a center, complete with an artist rendering, was detailed, the plan has not reached the presentation stage yet. That's when the proposal would go before the local school boards for approval and then off to the state Department of Education for consideration.
"This needs community support," Hornberger said. "We need to put pressure on legislators to make this happen. Failing to establish such a center won't get you the reality of economic development."
See page 6 for a layout of photos from the Workforce Wayne Annual Meeting.
Lackawaxen Twp. —
