Workforce Resources

Skills in Scranton is the business-education partnership of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce.  For more than 25 years, Skills has worked with local employers, school districts, higher education partners and Pennsylvania data experts to develop strategies that help ensure our regional workforce is aligned with high priority jobs of the future.

As a partner in the  PA CareerLink Lackawanna County Business Services Team we can guide you through the process of posting a position through the PA CareerLink website, hosting a recruiting event, obtaining information on training providers relevant to your workforce needs and the On the Job Training program.

• Recruitment, screening, and candidate referral
• Industry Partnership incumbent worker training resources

On-the-Job Training (OJT) is available to the local business community and provides up to a 50 percent hourly wage reimbursement for new hires.  OJT must be used for Workforce Innovative and Opportunity Act (WIOA) eligible persons, which includes dislocated workers or low-income adults.

Our team can guide you through the process of applying for and utilizing the OJT program.

In 2016, more than 206,000 individuals entered the apprenticeship system.  Nationwide, there are more than 505,000 apprentices currently obtaining the skills needed to succeed while earning the wages needed to build financial security. In 2016, 49,000 participants graduated from the apprenticeship system.  Apprenticeship improves the skills of the American workforce, and enhances the efficiency and productivity of American industries.

Benefits for Business

Benefits for Employees

Through the U.S. Department of Labor, ApprenticeshipUSA offers employers in every industry the tools to develop a highly skilled workforce to help grow their business.

In Lackawanna County, there are registered apprentices in the following occupations

• Culinary Arts
• Electrician
• Fire Fighter
• Machinist
• Maintenance Mechanic
• Pipe Fitter
• Plumber
• Tool Maker

Visit ApprenticeshipUSA for information on existing programs, starting a program and resources. If you would like to start your own Apprenticeship Program, The Scranton Plan can guide you through the process. Contact us to learn more.

Interested in developing or enhancing a Veterans hiring initiative for your company but don’t know where to begin?

The United States Department of Labor has developed a comprehensive toolkit that can help.  It can assist and educate business leaders who are contemplating or have decided to include transitioning Service Members, Veterans and wounded warriors in their recruitment and hiring initiatives.

Our team can connect your business to local Veteran Organizations, contact us to learn more.

Pennsylvania’s WEDnetPA Training Program helps businesses stay competitive by offering funding to help employees maintain a diverse skill set.  Employers can determine their own workforce training needs and choose from 27 WEDnetPA partners, third party providers or in-house staff to conduct their training initiative!  This resource is employer-driven, allowing businesses to remain competitive while keeping their workforce’s skills current and relevant.

Work Opportunity Tax Credit is a Federal tax credit available to employers who hire and retain veterans and individuals from other target groups with significant barriers to employment. Employers claim about $1 billion in tax credits each year under the WOTC program. There is no limit on the number of individuals an employer can hire to qualify to claim the tax credit, and there are a few simple steps to follow to apply for WOTC.

Pennsylvania has committed $4.6 million dollars in workforce development grant funding to the Industry Partnership Workforce Training Program. Industry Partnerships bring together employers, workers and job training providers from a single industry sector to collaborate on improving the industry’s competitiveness and address common workforce needs. These partnerships offer access to regional and industry-specific knowledge and training and create professional networks that promote innovation, collaboration, and efficiency.

Organizations in one of the nine Targeted Industry Clusters  can participate in a multi-employer collaborative along with educational institutions and workforce and economic development agencies to identify common needs and develop effective solutions to enhance the industry cluster’s global competitiveness.

Industry Partnerships seek to:

• Develop a deep, thorough and forward-looking understanding of the human capital needs and critical challenges of the industry cluster through the regular interaction of partnership members, trade associations and industry experts;
• Identify the training needs of businesses, including skill gaps critical to competitiveness and innovation;
• Facilitate companies to come together to aggregate training and education needs;
• Help companies identify and work together to address common organizational and human resource challenges — recruiting new workers, retaining incumbent workers, implementing high-performance work organization, adopting new technologies and fostering experiential on-the-job learning; and
• Establish communication networks between firms, managers, and workers to promote innovation, potential economies of scale in purchasing and other economic activities, and dissemination of best practices.

Contact Brianna Florovito, Workforce & Entrepreneurial Development Specialist at bflorovito@scrantonchamber.com or call (570) 342.7711, for more information if you are seeking workforce talent in the Industry Partnership Targeted Industry Clusters.