Workforce, business assessment details needs of local industry
Feb. 17, 2010
Lebanon, PA – HACC today unveiled a long-range plan for the creation of a Lebanon Trade and Technology Center as a leading force in meeting the workforce needs of the Lebanon Valley.
“HACC’s Lebanon Campus conducted a comprehensive workforce and business assessment with executives from more than 100 businesses and organizations providing insight into current and future training needs,” said HACC President Edna V. Baehre, Ph.D.
“Respondents identified four primary industry sectors as areas of need, including health care, industrial technology, business and food service,” she said. “As a result, HACC Lebanon Campus in partnership with the Lebanon community is beginning the design and implementation of a trade and technology center to provide the necessary education and training to fill these needs and promote careers that provide a family-sustaining wage.”
The mission of the Lebanon Trade and Technology Center is to offer workforce training in partnership with local industry to grow local talent, develop and operate unique training institutes to draw business to the region, collaborate with local industry and other educational institutions to leverage resources, and create a pipeline for high school students to move into technical degree fields.
HACC’s Lebanon Campus will begin phasing in some of the key training components, while conducting a series of summits with the industry groups identified as the areas of primary need.
“These summits are designed to gather additional information from business and industry leaders about specific training needs that will help shape and refine the future of the institutes with the trade and technology center,” said HACC-Lebanon Campus Vice President Kathleen Kramer, Ed.D.
“The summits also will assist HACC in determining the order of implementation to meet the most immediate needs of the local business community,” she said.
Among the four primary industry sectors described in the assessment, a number of skill sets were identified as having the greatest need for a trained and skilled workforce. These include soft skills, including leadership and supervisory skills; mechatronics; electronic engineering technology; auto CAD; welding and machining; lean manufacturing training, information technology; CDL certification; management; accounting, and the healthcare-related fields of medical records, paramedic training and medical lab technician.
HACC’s Lebanon Campus already offers programs in welding, electronics technology, technology studies and medical transcription.
Development of the trade and technology center is in the fact-gathering stage, with members of a campus technology advisory committee providing input. Additional details of the center will be announced as they become available.
Please click the links below to share the latest #HACCnews on YOUR social media sites.
