/ By Jocelyn Hartman / News • Workforce Development/ • • / 0 Comments

Partners Spotlighted at the 2018 SAS Conference

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.

SAS Conference Panelist

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.

/ By Jocelyn Hartman / Workforce Development/ • / 0 Comments

Deputy Secretary visits Somerset Career and Technology Center

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.