/ By Lauren Thompson / Cambria County • Event • News • Vision 2025/ 0 Comments

Starbucks Day of Service Scheduled For This Saturday

As part of the Starbucks Global Month of Service, staff members from Johnstown’s Starbucks have organized a clean-up and enhancement of the city’s community gardens for Saturday, April 29. Starbucks will be providing lunch for all volunteers. Managers and staff from Starbucks locations across Western Pennsylvania are travelling to Johnstown to participate in this event.

The itinerary is as follows:

9:30-10:00 AM: Registration with light refreshments
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM: Shuttle Service to multiple community gardens
2:00 PM: Lunch at Sandyvale Conservancy

Volunteers are to meet at Sandyvale Memorial Gardens and Conservancy, 80 Hickory St, Johnstown. Some tools and equipment will be provided, but if possible volunteers are encouraged to bring their own marked equipment. Pre-registration is requested to be sent to .

/ By Lauren Thompson / Event • News • Somerset County • Workforce Development/ 0 Comments

Workforce Development Session Has Successful Turnout

On Wednesday, April 12 the Somerset County Chamber of Commerce hosted an “Eggs & Issues:Workforce Development Benefits,” session at the Somerset Country Club

Representatives from seven workforce related agencies highlighted the many resources and benefits available to businesses in the Southern Alleghenies region. Industry experts also discussed employee recruitment options, training resources and funding options for workforce development.

For more information on Workforce Development, contact Debi Balog at (814) 262-8366 or via email at .

/ By Lauren Thompson / Cambria County • Event • Financing & incentives • Somerset County/ 0 Comments

Cracking the Interview Code

Manpower Inc, Vice President/Managing Director, Brock Kull, will present on how to interview candidates and how to attract the best applicants. Attendees will learn what types of interview processes exists and what can work best for their companies. Also, find out what questions should and should not be asked during an interview.

This Lunch & Learn will be held at the JARI Center (160 Jari Drive) on Thursday, April 20. The cost to register is $5 per person and lunch will be provided.

Registration is required. If you’re interested in attending, fill out the registration form and sent it to Lauren Brewer at .

/ By Lauren Thompson / Event • Somerset County • Workforce Development/ 0 Comments

Students Making Plans for the Future

Debi Balog
Director, Workforce Development

On March 29th, Over 400 students from 11 Somerset County high schools attended the College and Technical Fair. The students had the opportunity to discuss education and career options with representatives from 59 colleges, technical schools, the military and skilled trade organizations. The fair also included a panel of employers who provided the students with insight on careers within their respective industries as well as information on the importance of critical workplace behaviors. Many thanks to the employers who participated on the panel:

  • SFC Kenneth Gifford, USARMY/USAREC
  • Tobie Gunby, AmeriServ Financial Bank
  • Mike Hinson, API Technologies Corp
  • Amy Horwath, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Alleghenies
  • Mike Stohon, In-Shore Technologies
  • Karissa Yoder, Somerset Hospital

The fair was hosted by the Somerset County Chamber of Commerce Education Committee and Success in Somerset County Committee.

/ By Lauren Thompson / Cambria County • Event • News • Somerset County • Workforce Development/ 0 Comments

Education Job Expo

On Thursday, April 13, there will be an Education Job Expo at the Greater Johnstown Career & Technology Center for anyone looking for a career in the education field. This expo will give employers the opportunity to meet prospective employees in our region and a chance to share information about their organization and available jobs.

The deadline to register is April 7th. If you are interested, RSVP to Kayla Cobaugh at (814) 262-0732 ext. 236 or via email at .

/ By Lauren Thompson / Cambria County • Event • Media Releases • News/ 0 Comments

Lockheed Martin AeroParts Adding Jobs to Johnstown

Lockheed Martin announced Thursday, March 23, that they will be expanding production for components of the F-35 Lightning II with a new facility in Johnstown. This expansion will add more than 40 new jobs by the end of 2018.

“The F-35 Lightning II is beginning to transition to full-rate production and the manufacturing expertise we have here has a growing role in delivering this incredible aircraft to the men and women who defend our nation,” said Gilda Jackson, general manager of Lockheed Martin AeroParts.

Lockheed Martin is in the process of finalizing plans to lease and equip an additional facility to accommodate this new work and begin producing a subset of parts for the program.

For additional information, visit their websites: www.lockheedmartin.com and www.f35com.

/ By Lauren Thompson / Cambria County • Event • Vision 2025/ 0 Comments

Vision2025 Golf Tournament

If you are looking to play the most iconic golf course in the Laurel Highlands along with supporting your community, the opportunity is here!

Vision2025 is hosting the 1st Annual Golf Tournament at Sunnehanna Country Club on June 5, 2017 to support Youth Development. The entrance fee of $125.00 per golfer includes lunch, greens fees, cart, dinner and various prize opportunities. There are many sponsorship opportunities available at a variety of levels.

For information regarding sponsorship and participation please contact Tara Carr at 814-255-4121 or .

/ By Lauren Thompson / Cambria County • Consortium • Event • News • Somerset County • Workforce Development/ 0 Comments

Pumpkin Chunkin Competition

JARI and Faranda’s Farm is pleased to announce our new partnership to host a Pumpkin Chunkin Competition for local high school students. The competition will be held at Faranda’s Farm located in Hollsopple, PA., on November 4, 2017.

Seven local school districts are registered to participate in the competition in which students form teams and build their own prototype of a trebuchet to launch pumpkins the longest distance. The students will use the S.T.E.M concepts to solve the challenges presented by force and gravity.

We are currently searching for mentors and judges to help at the event and in-kind sponsors for building materials.  Mentors will assist the teams through the designing, building and testing process. Judges will review the judging criteria and participate in scoring the teams the day of the competition.

If you are interested in helping with this event, contact Debi Balog, Director, Workforce Development, at (814) 262-8366 or via email at .

/ By Lauren Thompson / Cambria County • Entrepreneurship • Event • Financing & incentives • New business/ 0 Comments

Arotin’s Hummingbird Estate Holds Grand Opening Ceremony

Michele Clapper
VP, Economic Development

Left to right: Linda Thomson, JARI; Cambria County Commissioner Tom Chernisky, Jim Vasilko, Johnstown Construction; Carolyn Arotin, Arotin’s Hummingbird Estate; Donna Dunegan, Patton Borough Secretary; Representative Frank Burns; Dave Pompa, Patton Borough Councilman; Annette Chunko, St. Francis SBDC

Arotin’s Hummingbird Estate held a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Friday, March 10. The event drew approximately 65 people, including elected officials who spoke of the new facility and offered their best wishes to Carolyn in her business venture.

Carolyn Arotin, Owner/Administrator of Arotin’s Hummingbird Estate, has always dreamed of owning her own Personal Care Home. She has worked for almost 20 years in this industry. “It took a long time, we didn’t give up and here we are…It’s a very safe, beautiful, loving place and I don’t want anyone to be afraid to bring their loved ones here”, says Carolyn.

If you would like assistance in starting your own business please contact Michele Clapper, VP of Economic Development, at (814) 262-8368 or via e-mail at .

/ By Lauren Thompson / Cambria County • Event • Financing & incentives • Media Releases • News/ 0 Comments

Importance of Cyber Security and User Training

Michele Clapper
VP, Economic Development

Michael Stohon, In-Shore Technologies, will be presenting “The Importance of Cyber Security and User Training” at JARI’s March 30th Lunch & Learn event.

Attendees will learn how serious cyber risk is and what can be done to prevent it. In this interactive session, Stohon will also provide information on what types of scams and hacks are most common today and the best way to prevent prevent them.

The cost for this event is $5 and registration is required. Please send registration forms to Lauren Brewer by mail or via e-mail at .