The commissioners’ chairmen of Luzerne and Schuylkill counties, along with key community stakeholders, recently met to renew their commitment to developing strategies and partnerships to address and meet ever-changing regional workforce needs.
Dr. Robert Garraty, executive director of the state Workforce Investment Board, was the featured speaker during an informal mixer that brought together Luzerne County Commissioners’ Chairman Maryanne Petrilla and Commissioner Steve Urban and Schuylkill County Commissioners’ Chairman Mantura Gallagher.
“These are really difficult times, not only in Luzerne County and in Schuylkill County, but in America. The Workforce Investment Board is important for us moving forward,” Petrilla said. “It’s the way of the future to regionalize projects like this.”
Gallagher agreed.“Schuylkill County is becoming an integral part of the Workforce Investment Board, and it’s an important time to be are a part of it,” she said. “There are many people of all skill levels who are looking for work.”
The mixer was the first official WIB event for Lucyann Vierling, the board’s new executive director. She spoke about how the board is moving in a new direction.
“It’s a brand-new day,” Vierling said. “Out of bad things comes opportunity. I see all these pieces out there, but we have to be in alignment if we’re going to do anything for our communities. We need to make sure all the pieces fit.”
Garraty said the time is right for the Luzerne/Schuylkill WIB to recommit itself. He said that recently, for the first time, a representative from the White House participated in a statewide meeting about workforce development.
“That shows there is a real commitment and a desire to move on improving our workforce,” Garraty said. “The new leadership here in Luzerne/Schuylkill is presented with a lot of opportunities to make changes.”
And the local WIB is ready to use those opportunities, said Martha M. Herron, chairman of the Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board.
“We need to work with our workforce partners, higher education institutions, our regional partners, our economic development agencies, and, most importantly, our business community to create solutions together,” Herron said. “A workforce investment system that is agile and responsive is one that prepares tomorrow’s workforce, upgrades skills of incumbents, and helps workers who have been downsized by giving them skills to get new jobs.”
Members of the Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board include representatives from private sector businesses and industry, chambers of commerce, financial institutions, community groups, economic development agencies, state and county agencies, and educational institutions from across Luzerne and Schuylkill counties. Together, they engage business, industry, education, and economic development and community organizations to identify workforce challenges and develop strategies to address those challenges.
While Pennsylvania’s statewide unemployment rate was below the national rate in June, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Luzerne County was 9.3 percent and in Schuylkill County it was 10.4 percent. Both of those were well above Pennsylvania’s average of 8.3 percent. Those figures were also substantially higher than the unemployment rate in June 2008, when it was 6.1 percent in Luzerne County and 6.1 percent in Schuylkill County. (Source: Center for Workforce Information and Analysis)
There are many challenges, Vierling said, but she expressed confidence that the new, revitalized, WIB will be successful:
“The Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board is going to be on top!”
For more information about the Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board call (570) 822-1101.
