Pennsylvania Partners

This workshop will describe the successful collaboration between the PA Department of Education, Bureau of Adult and Basic Literacy Education (ABLE), Workforce Education Research Center (WERC) and the PA Conservation Corps (PCC). The WERC presented workshops for the PCC crew leaders on using their work experiences to connect work-based foundation skills into all facets of their instruction – both classroom and projects. By connecting the foundation skills to their projects, the crew leaders were able to draw the line from the classroom to the workplace.

Presenter:

Angelic Hardy

Bureau of Adult and Basic Literacy Education, PA Department of Education

(Education & Literacy/Workforce & Economic Development)

Employer Hiring Incentives

Empire B

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit and Federal Bonding Programs provide incentives to employers to hire individuals with employment barriers and are great tools for those who work directly with employers to place potentially eligible individuals. This workshop will include program updates (including information on ARRA target groups), requirements, filing instructions and marketing strategies. The Job Creation Tax Credit may be available to businesses that agree to create jobs to offset various business tax liabilities.

Presenters:

Barbara Zullinger

Tax Credit Coordination Services, PA Department of Labor & Industry

Charles Rose

Tax Credit Coordination Services, PA Department of Labor & Industry

Ted Knorr

Center for Business Financing - Tax Credit Division, PA Department of Community & Economic Development

(Overcoming Barriers to Employment/Workforce & Economic Development)

Weatherization: It’s Much More than Windows and Walls

Empire C

The purpose of this workshop is to discuss Pennsylvania’s approach to training and certifying workers in the field of weatherization. Topics will include implementation, outreach to incumbents and potential workers, and where the state plans to go from here.

Presenter:

David Pistner

Weatherization Training, PA Department of Labor & Industry

(Green Jobs/Workforce & Economic Development)

Creating STEM Awareness and Excitement with Middle School Youth

Empire D

Extract DNA from a strawberry? Stick a wooden skewer through a filled balloon? Come join us for an interactive workshop that will engage participants in hands-on experiments created to expand Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) awareness in middle school youth. Attendees will participate in hands-on activities designed to create excitement about future careers in STEM. Find out how to connect to your local Penn State Cooperative Extension Office and bring this program to your area.

Presenters:

Edward Bender

Penn State Cooperative Extension Adams County

Doran Condon

South Central Workforce Investment Board

(Youth)

The Industry Partnership Model: Strategies for Building a Successful and Sustainable Collaborative

Magnolia A

This workshop will outline the critical components of building a successful Industry Partnership (IP), including programmatic and administrative concepts and processes. The 2009 Strategic Industry Partnerships Toolkit will be referenced. The discussion will center on current IP initiatives statewide as well and a brief snapshot predicting the FY2010-2011 IP grant framework.

Presenters:

Dan Kuba

PA Department of Labor & Industry

Veronica Snyder

PA Workforce Investment Board

(IP/W)

Building Your Workforce Disability Toolkit

Magnolia B

This workshop will review the contents of a workforce disability toolkit that will equip participants with the resources they need to enable and encourage successful workforce integration of persons with disabilities. Essential information and resources will be provided about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ADA Amendments Act, U.S. Department of Justice-proposed regulations and access checklists. The toolkit is packed with on-line and free resources as well as an extensive listing of training opportunities.

Presenters:

Marian Vessels

DBTAC: Mid-Atlantic Center

Beth Zeidman

DBTAC: Mid-Atlantic Center

(Overcoming Barriers to Employment/Workforce & Economic Development)

Energy Partnerships and Pathways Out of Poverty – Innovative Grants

Magnolia C

This session will review two important U.S. Employment and Training Administration initiatives to “Green” our country that can serve as a proactive model to serve people in need. The session will look at the various models being used to teach workers the skills required in these emerging energy efficiency and renewable energy sectors, and the service delivery strategies and resources being used.

Presenters:

Employment & Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor

(Green Jobs/Overcoming Barriers to Employment/Workforce & Economic Development)

Creating a Quality Assurance Culture in a Non-Profit

Magnolia D

Non-profits have always been committed to providing quality service. However, increasing scrutiny of performance and outcomes requires even more resources to document the quality of service that is being provided. Does increased quality assurance take away from our ability to provide service? Not if you create a culture that infuses quality assurance throughout and makes it a visible, fundamental part of your workplace. Building this culture involves more than just reporting numerical outcomes. It requires a deeper commitment from all levels of the organization. This workshop will explore the elements of creating a culture that shows how quality assurance and service go hand in hand.

Presenters:

Allison David

JEVS Human Services

Jeffrey Booth

JEVS Human Services

(Professional Development)

Cost Principles and Selected Items of Cost

Tower 2

This workshop will address the basic principles of allowable costs under federally funded grant programs and will discuss the treatment – allowable, unallowable and allowable with conditions – of selected items of cost found in Attachment B of OMB Circular A-122. It will also identify those selected items of cost that are unique to each of the OMB Circulars A-122, A-87 and A-21.

Presenter:

Ed Donahue

Retired Chief of ETA’s Division of Policy, Review and Resolution, U.S. Department of Labor

(Fiscal)

What Is Green?

Wild Rose A

This session will provide an overview of the latest thinking on what is "Green" and what it could be. Presenters will also review some of the U.S. Department of Labor’s initiatives around Green jobs.

Presenters:

Employment & Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor

(Green Jobs/Workforce & Economic Development)

Engaging the Philanthropic Community in Workforce Development

Wild Rose B

This panel discussion will introduce participants to best practices in engaging private donors in workforce development and also give them an opportunity to connect to current efforts to sustain philanthropic funding for workforce development in Pennsylvania on a statewide basis. The session will begin by illuminating current challenges to engaging the philanthropic community. Then the session will draw on successful examples from across Pennsylvania to explain how to overcome these challenges and build philanthropic buy-in. The session will also give audience members an opportunity to share their success stories and lessons learned.

Presenters:

Seth Green

Job Opportunity Investment Network

Rosemary Browne

The Foundation for Enhancing Communities

Steve Herzenberg

Keystone Research Center

(Fiscal/Workforce & Economic Development)