Center’s board votes to dissolve
Aug. 18, 2011
YORK – A new chapter opens next year for the William F. Goodling Advanced Skills Center as it comes under the umbrella of the York Campus of HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College.
The center, created in 1999 to serve the York community as a place to obtain technical, industrial and skills training, was dedicated to the former United States Congressman in December 2009 to honor his lifelong commitment to education and training. It will become the hub for similar training programs offered at HACC’s York Campus.
“Representative Goodling was interested in a partnership between labor and management that would result in a highly skilled workforce to meet the specific needs in our region,” said Jean Treuthart, campus vice president of the York Campus. “We take his vision very seriously and will continue to grow the training programs at HACC based on collaboration with York County business and industry.”
Treuthart noted the ASC’s High School Initiative will become part of the HACC Academy and continue to offer career training programs to high school seniors. “This fall we will seamlessly transition the welding, automotive technology, healthcare, and nurse aide training programs previously run at the Advanced Skills Center. The following year, we plan to add other career options to the academy to train even more students.”
Up next for the Goodling Center will be a revamped, state-of-the-art welding lab to add to the HVAC and electrical technology facilities HACC currently operates in the Goodling Center, Treuthart added.
“We are dedicated to continuing the important training offered for the last 12 years by the ASC,” she continued.
After continuous reductions in state and federal funding support for ASC’s programs over the past three years, the organization’s board of directors voted in June to dissolve because of declining public sector support, coupled with reduced private sector support and reduced custom training opportunities during the recent recession.
Chuck Thomas, ASC president, noted public funding of $600,000 in 2008 was cut in half to $300,000 in 2009, then to $100,000 in 2010. “We learned in December 2010 that no more funding would be available,” he said.
“York is fortunate to now have a community college in the region that was not present when the ASC was initially formed,” said Mort Zifferer, board chairman. “HACC’s York Campus is committed to several of the key tenants of the ASC mission.”
He continued, “The ASC board of directors is delighted and very optimistic that several of the key programs that were created and evolved over the past decade will be continued. With HACC’s oversight and management capability the programs will most certainly be improved. The York community will now benefit by HACC’s ability to increase effectiveness and enhance the alignment of our secondary and post secondary credentialed learning opportunities.”
Stewart Weinberg, Ph.D., Dallastown Area School District superintendent, said, “The Advanced Skills Center has been a very important pathway for many high school seniors in York County. As it transitions to becoming an academy of HACC, I expect that it will blossom further in its scope and offerings, and that it will be an integral component in providing high school seniors with the skills necessary to enter the workforce or to continue their education.”
Over the last 12 years, the ASC has assisted more than 800 adult workers who were looking to transition to meaningful, life-sustaining positions in the workforce. With the establishment of a high school student initiative, more than 150 school students from 13 different school districts participated each year in a structured, intense study and hands-on activity program. The program had a 90 percent graduation rate , and sent many of the 1,000 graduates to immediately successful careers, or to additional post-secondary programs and the military.
Thomas said, “Special thanks to Jean Treuthart and her staff, as well as the extended HACC leadership team, in working effectively with our staff and board to facilitate a timely and efficient transition of programs to the HACC’s York Campus for the betterment of the York community.”
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