Jessup, Lackawanna County, PA -
Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Jerry Oleksiak and L&I Deputy Secretary for Workforce Development Eileen Cipriani joined Senator John Blake during a visit to The TekRidge Center in Lackawanna County, highlighting Governor Tom Wolf's PAsmart investments in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education and skills training to help job seekers obtain good, middle-class jobs in 21st century careers.
“The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce's TekRidge Center is one of two Chamber owned incubator facilities that foster high-tech, skilled STEM jobs right here in Pennsylvania, through its startup business incubator,” said Secretary Oleksiak.
“Employers expanding across the commonwealth need trained and skilled workers to support business growth, and Governor Wolf's PAsmart investments will help Pennsylvanians gain the technical skills they require to meet employers' needs.”
PAsmart, a first-of-its-kind $30 million investment, is a new way of thinking about job training and workforce development by providing targeted funding for STEM education, computer science, career and technical training, and more, so students and workers get the training and skills needed for in-demand, middle-class jobs.
“We need to make a more seamless connection between education and employment so that we are building a skilled workforce that meets the needs of our business community,” Senator John Blake said. “I appreciate Secretary Oleksiak coming to Lackawanna County to continue the discussion on how the Commonwealth can be a better partner to Northeastern Pennsylvania employers and our students.”
The TekRidge Center, an initiative of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, is a business incubator that is home to companies looking to develop new and innovative technologies that will further enhance the economic climate and create jobs in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Businesses located within the incubator space receive the support, infrastructure, resources and mentorship needed to achieve long-term success, with the goal of creating jobs, commercializing new technologies and strengthening local and national economies.
Wolf administration officials toured The TekRidge Center including Bedrock Technology and SnapSlide. Bedrock Technology provides information technology and computer system troubleshooting services to small-and medium-sized businesses. Bedrock Technology was just four years old when The TekRidge Center opened in 2013 and became the center's first incubator tenant. In November 2016, Bedrock outgrew its 850-square-foot incubator space and became the building's first anchor tenant.
SnapSlide, one of the incubator's newer tenants, has patented a better-pill bottle with a new bottle cap design. The simple push and slide mechanism allows for easier opening for those who struggle with conventional pill bottles, while still fulfilling the child safety feature mandate from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
“Raising awareness of opportunities available to Lackawanna County businesses and residents alike, is a priority as we continue to dovetail our economic and workforce development initiatives, said Bob Durkin, president, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. “The Chamber's affiliates, Skills in Scranton and The Scranton Plan look forward to partnering with the Commonwealth to expand STEM related activities in Northeastern Pennsylvania.”
After the tour, the secretary and deputy secretary sat down with Senator Blake, Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce President Bob Durkin, and representatives from Bedrock Technology, SnapSlide, PA Department of Community & Economic Development, Employment Opportunity & Training Center of Northeastern PA, Geisinger Northeast, Lackawanna County Workforce Development Board, Penn State Scranton, McClane Company, Skills in Scranton, Keystone College, Johnson College, Cardinal LG, Tobyhanna Army Depot, The Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County, Lockheed Martin Corporation and PA CareerLink® Lackawanna County to discuss skill development initiatives.
“As we work to strengthen our skill development programs and build Pennsylvania's workforce through the PAsmart initiative, it's vital for us to gather feedback from businesses and our partners in the field,” Cipriani said. “This kind of local input is what our programs and initiatives such as PAsmart were built around, and regional involvement is invaluable for further improving our policies moving forward.”
Last month, the governor signed an executive order to cut red tape and improve coordination between several state agencies to more effectively deliver workforce development services to Pennsylvanians. Under the executive order, the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board (PA WDB), the governor's private sector policy advisor, will provide recommendations on the distribution of the $30 million in PAsmart funding, which will be driven out through competitive grants. This collaboration will help to ensure the investments meet employers' need for skilled workers and that workers are gaining the skills for good, middle-class jobs that will grow Pennsylvania's economy.
For more information about pursuing an education and career in Pennsylvania at any stage of life, visit PAsmart.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Lindsay Bracale or Elizabeth Rementer, 717-787-7530 or dlipress@pa.gov
