About Us

Pennsylvania Partners represents the workforce development professionals and organizations who work within one of the nation’s most progressive statewide workforce development systems.

Pennsylvania Partners began as an informal group of workforce development professionals who came together in 1983 to develop a statewide organization to foster the sharing of information among workforce development professionals and provide liaison with state and federal government agencies and other workforce partners. The association formally incorporated as Pennsylvania Partners in 1989 and is currently headquartered in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, just minutes from the state capital.

The core membership of Pennsylvania Partners is made up of two representatives from each of the 23 Workforce Investment Areas in Pennsylvania, which comprise the association’s board. Technical Workgroups offer professionals communities of practice to discuss the field’s most prominent issues and develop solutions.

The first statewide workforce conference was organized in 1984 and has evolved into the Annual Employment, Training & Education Conference, one of the largest statewide workforce conferences in the United States. This conference, held each spring, attracts more than 1,300 professionals from all facets of workforce development and is cosponsored by federal and state agencies that are partners in the workforce development system. Additional in-person professional development and networking events include the Pennsylvania Youth Services Academy, PA CareerLink® Symposiums, Healthcare Industry Partnership Symposium and the PA Workforce Investment Board Symposium.

The PA Partners Board is comprised of two representatives from each of the 23 Workforce Investment Areas in Pennsylvania. Members are appointed by the chair of the local Workforce Investment Board and the chief elected local official in each Workforce Investment Area. Officers and 6 trustees elected by the board comprise the association’s executive committee. The Board discusses topics and develops recommendations concerning Pennsylvania’s workforce system. The members also assist in identifying technical assistance and professional development needs.


Pennsylvania’s Workforce System is made up of 23 Local Workforce Investment Areas (LWIA). Each LWIA has a Workforce Investment Board (WIB), with the exception of the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, which share one WIB. Local WIBs oversee workforce policies and develop regional strategies. WIBs provide oversight and coordination for the services provided through PA CareerLink^®.