Each year the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) hosts an annual conference designed to provide educators with updates on state educational initiatives. The Standards Aligned System (SAS) Institute includes general sessions with nationally recognized keynote presenters, panel presentations and breakout sessions that highlight exemplars and programming from schools and organizations across the commonwealth. This year, the conference was held at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center on December 9th-12th. The SAS Conference attracts approximately 200 Superintendents from across the Commonwealth.
One of this year’s keynote presenters was Eileen Cipriani, Deputy Secretary for Workforce Development with Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor and Industry. She addressed Pennsylvania workforce needs and how increasing partnerships can build a system of competitiveness and innovation. Workforce, education, and business partners from the Southern Alleghenies Region were invited to participate in a panel discussion to showcase the impact of a highly functioning partnership in Pennsylvania.
Panelist: Debi Balog, Director, Workforce Development/JARI, Susan K. Whisler, Director, Southern Alleghenies Workforce Development Board, Barbara A. Zaborowski, Ph.D. Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs, Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, Eileen Cipriani, PA Deputy Secretary for Workforce Development, Shawn Kaufman, Director, Human Resources, Riggs Industries, PA Department of Community & Economic Development, Gwen Ross, Director of Workforce Development Initiatives and Carole M. Kakabar, Superintendent, Ferndale Area School District.
Congratulations, Anita Rummel, for the opening of Cruise Planners on Scalp Avenue in Johnstown! We wish her much success in 2019 and for many years to come.
If you are like Anita, or know someone like her, and want to become a business owner or entrepreneur in our region, reach out today to begin building a pathway to entrepreneurship.
Please contact José Luis Otero at (814) 254-4023 or .
Eileen Cipriani, Deputy Secretary for workforce development in Pa Department of Labor and Industry visited Somerset County Technology Center on Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. Ms. Cipriani announced a newly registered early childhood apprenticeship, in cooperation with The Learning Lamp, Penn Highlands, and PA CareerLink.
Additionally, Deputy Secretary and attendees toured the Early Childhood Education, Machinery, and Welding shops and spoke about JARI's training-to-careers grant through Gov. Tom Wolf’s Manufacturing PA initiative that has funded displaced workers to go through welding courses at local Career and Technology Schools in the region, including SCTC.
A panel of individuals including SCTC’s Principal Matt Danel, Dan Liess of Leiss Tool & Die, SCTC's Early Childhood Education Instructor Michele Fochtman, Deputy Secretary Eileen Cipriani, President of Penn Highlands Community College Walter Asonevich, and Pa Senator Pat Steffano spoke to students in Early Childhood Education, Machinery, and Welding programs about upcoming and current apprenticeship opportunities.
Pictured above: All four Startup Alleghenies coaches including the two newest additions Andrew Trexler (Bedford) and Debra Clark (Huntingdon and Fulton), as well as existing coaches Rick Lasek (Blair County) and our very own, Jose Luis (Cambria).
Startup Alleghenies (SUA) is ready to support entrepreneurs in the Alleghenies from three additional counties, Bedford, Fulton and Huntingdon. This expansion means that the Startup Alleghenies movement has expanded to all six counties in the Southern Alleghenies, and often, beyond.
“We’re delighted to welcome entrepreneurs and partners from Bedford, Fulton and Huntingdon Counties into the Right Here. Right Now. movement we launched to create the next great startup zone in the Alleghenies,” said Debbi Prosser, director business-development, Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission (SAP&DC).
“We believe our Entrepreneur Coaches are the critical entry-point and ongoing mentors for entrepreneurs, connecting them to all that the SUA network has to offer,” explained Prosser, “so we’ve hired two new entrepreneurial Coaches, Andrew Trexler and Debra Clark, to ensure entrepreneurs in our newest counties also receive all the help they need to get their ideas to market.”
Andrew Trexler will focus on Bedford County while employed by the Bedford County Development Association, and Deborah Clark, will cover Huntingdon and Fulton Counties while employed by Huntingdon County Business and Industry.
In addition to personalized coaching, Startup Allenghenies entrepreneurs benefit from a network of resources available ecosystem-wide, including nine entrepreneur work spaces, programs such as TechCelerators and the BIG IDEA Contests organized by Startup Alleghenies Founding partner, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, as well as help with business plan development from St. Francis University Small Business Development Center (SBDC), marketing, legal and financial advice. Startup Alleghenies partners also sponsor networking opportunities for entrepreneurs throughout the year.
Prosser credits additional funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) with making this growth possible. “In expanding our POWER grant, by just over $1.2 million, ARC acknowledged Startup Alleghenies success, due in large part to our network of committed partners in Blair, Cambria and Somerset Counties,” Prosser added.
If you have a new business idea, want to expand your existing business or just want to learn more about what it takes to take your idea to market, register with SUA today—Right Here. Right Now.
Two Vision2025 capture teams have announced plans for a “cafeteria style” public workshop, designed to assist historical building owners with the challenges and opportunities of reusing their buildings.
“Historical Building Reuse Workshop #2” will take place from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 11, at the Johnstown Heritage Discovery Center at Broad Street and Sixth Avenue in Cambria City.
“This will be an excellent opportunity for historical-building developers to meet with code experts and public officials,” said Rick Truscello, who chairs the Historical Buildings and Codes Capture Team. “The workshop is designed to provide developers and owners with one-on-one contact with these experts.”
Stations will be organized to provide guidance on:
Building Code Overview
Zoning Overview
Floodplain Regulations Overview
Workshop participants will be able to pick and choose among the stations and spend as much time as needed at those stations, addressing their individual questions and concerns.
Two other workshops will be scheduled in the near future:
Workshop #3 will look at a specific building as a case study in how multiple uses can be included within a single historical building.
Workshop #4 will present opportunities to potential developers and investors.
The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Supportive Services Center, Cheyney University, is holding a networking event for Pre-qualified DBE Contractors and DBE Consultants on Friday, December 14, 2018 in Pittsburgh.
“Getting Ready for Primetime” will be held at the Constructors Association of Western PA from 9:00 am – 11:00am.
Similar to “speed dating”, ready-to-work DBE firms will get the chance to individually meet with Prime contractors looking for subcontractors through short, one-on-one meetings.
When: Friday, December 14, 2018
Time: 9:00 am – 11:00am
Where: 800 Cranberry Woods Drive, Suite 100, Cranberry Township, PA
To learn more about this event and to register, please click here.
Please contact us with questions or for government contracting assistance needs at
(814) 254-4022 or (814) 254-4023 or via email at .
SOMERSET – Frigid air and biting winds greeting those attending the U.S. Route 219 extension ribbon cutting may have been appropriate, highway advocate G. Henry Cook, of Somerset, said after the program.
Cook is CEO and Chairman of Somerset Trust Co. and has been promoting completion of the Route 219 four-lanes for decades.
It hasn’t been easy, Cook and other leaders said during Wednesday’s program, held on the southbound lanes of the new highway just south of Somerset. He recalled a former state transportation secretary who was not in favor of the investment.
“He said it would be a cold day in hell when this was built,” Cook said on Wednesday.
Cook said it was a community effort to see the $330 million project that led to Wednesday’s opening of the 11-mile connection between Somerset and Meyersdale, but he and others at the ceremony said more needs to be done…
Ron Aldom, executive director of the Somerset County Chamber of Commerce, said Wednesday’s milestone is huge.
“There’s no question this is an historic day because this roadway will change the life of Somerset County,” Aldom said. “It will change the life of the people of Somerset.”
Join thousands of other concerned citizens like yourself. Become a Tree Tender and help increase tree canopy cover in your community.
SAVE $35! FREE registration for Cambria County residents!
Tree Tenders® is a training program that empowers concerned residents to make dramatic strides towards restoring and caring for the tree canopy in their communities.
Video has far more uses in marketing than the traditional 30-second TV ad! On Thursday, December 6th, Brian Law, President of Prime Design Solutions and Innovative Tomato, will talk about the expanded role of video in marketing today, including:
Innovative uses of video to promote your business
How video can support your content marketing strategy
Creative ways of distributing video, including through social media
This Lunch & Learn will be held at the JARI Center (160 Jari Drive, Johnstown, PA) from 12:00 PM to 1:15 PM. Click here to register by December 4th. No shows on the day of the event will be billed.
The Sandler Enterprise Selling workshop will be held Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM at the JARI Center for Business Development. Presented by Moore Power Sales, this interactive workshop is for companies facing challenges selling to large enterprises including the Department of Defense (DoD) and large prime contractors. Topics of discussion include:
Effectively winning accounts with a long selling cycle
Successfully leveraging relationships with large clients to win more wallet share with those accounts
Strategically deploying your people so you are successfully growing accounts
Developing a Go/No Go Strategy that will keep you from wasting time and money on opportunities that won’t develop into business
Successfully positioning your company against the competition during competitive bids
Attendance is $35 and includes a copy of “Sandler Enterprise Selling”, seating is limited. Click here to register. Registration closes Friday, December 7th!
Please contact us for any of your government contracting assistance needs at (814) 254-4022 or (814) 254-4023 or via email at .
A panel of individuals including SCTC’s Principal Matt Danel, Dan Liess of Leiss Tool & Die, SCTC's Early Childhood Education Instructor Michele Fochtman, Deputy Secretary Eileen Cipriani, President of Penn Highlands Community College Walter Asonevich, and Pa Senator Pat Steffano spoke to students in Early Childhood Education, Machinery, and Welding programs about upcoming and current apprenticeship opportunities.
