This morning, the Indiana County Chamber of Commerce and the leaders of the county’s seven school districts, the Indiana County Technology Center, Westmoreland County Community College, and IUP will gather at the Kovalchick Complex to kickoff “Indiana County READY”, a collaborative workforce development initiative.
Chamber President Mark Hilliard says Indiana County READY will focus on “soft skills”, which incorporate six core values: reliability, work ethic, communication, respect, professionalism, and attendance. Students will earn an “Indiana County READY” designation by completing a specific curriculum designed to turn students into workers.
Chamber President Mark Hilliard says the event today at the KCAC will bring together all of the important players.
Indiana County READY will be a voluntary program for high school juniors and seniors. They will sign up for the program near the beginning of the school year and there will be assemblies where the Chamber and members of the business community will discuss the program and the importance of the core skills that it assesses.
Hilliard says Indiana County READY is an important, but only a first step in the process of building a 21st century workforce. The program was created through an affiliation with the Chamber of Business and Industry in Centre County.
