Work & Play

How do you keep talented young people in Northeast PA? Give them reasons why they never have to leave! A group of over forty economic and community development agencies that represent the seven counties of Northeast PA have joined together to do just that. “Work & Play in Northeast PA”, was presented to the public for the first time at a Forum sponsored by a PA Stay Invent the Future Program called Northeastern Career Opportunities that was funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. The Forum was held on April 25, 2003, at the PPL East Mountain Business Center in Wilkes-Barre where the 20-page publication and website were unveiled. The “Work & Play in Northeast PA” publication and web site were created just for students and graduates ages 15 to 35, and highlight career opportunities, housing market research, success stories, college and career schools, web site resources, and quality life experiences that can be enjoyed in Northeast PA, plus much more! The publications were distributed at the Forum and will be delivered along with posters announcing the web site to every high school junior and senior throughout the region, college career offices, college alumni offices, partners, economic developers, and participating employers.

Also presented at the Forum were highlighted findings from a job market survey that was distributed to 2,483 employers throughout the seven counties of Northeast PA. Penn State Schuylkill Campus and Northeastern Career Opportunities Project Manager, Staff, and Interns developed the Job Market Survey and analyzed the data. A total of 703 or 28.3% employers responded to the survey. Highlighted findings from this research were presented for all of Northeast PA. Detailed analysis summaries for each of the seven counties (Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill, and Wayne) and a Northeast PA “By Industry” were presented as well.

The PA Stay Invent the Future Northeastern Career Opportunities project began in July 2002, and is a Two Hundred Thousand ($200,000) Dollar state grant funded by Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development through Penn’s Northeast Team PA Marketing Region. The project was awarded to a consortium of economic and community development partners representing Schuylkill, Monroe, Luzerne, Lackawanna, Carbon, Pike, and Wayne Counties. The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce was the acting grant applicant on behalf of these partners.

The Northeastern Career Opportunities (NCO) project was intended to accomplish two primary objectives. The first, to focus on an employer survey that would identify current and future job opportunities over the next three years, and allow each county to share this information with students and educational providers throughout the region. The information gathered through this survey is a valuable resource for students in career planning and job recruitment considerations. And second, to work directly with every educational institution in the seven county service areas to directly contact students and graduates between the ages of 15 and 35 and present them with information on career opportunities and the quality of life experience that can be enjoyed in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Northeastern Career Opportunities through Work & Play in Northeast PA and the job market research will encourage students and graduates to stay in Northeastern Pennsylvania and attract young adults from outside the state. The program will also provide a vehicle for employment agencies, educators and employers to combine their resources to combat out-migration. By obtaining and marketing the project findings to students and educational providers, there will be an impact on the future workforce in each of the specific counties, as well as the entire region.

For more information on Work and Play in NEPA, visit the Work and Play Web site