College to Direct State's Largest Incumbent Worker Training Fund

Pennsylvania College of Technology's Workforce Development & Continuing Education Office recently assumed overall management responsibilities for WEDnetPA (Workforce & Economic Development Network of Pennsylvania), which administers the Guaranteed Free Training Program, the commonwealth's largest incumbent worker training initiative.

State Department of Community and Economic Development funding for the program is delivered through the WEDnetPA partnership, which consists of 33 higher-education workforce-development organizations across the commonwealth and administers a budget of approximately $18 million annually to more than 1,800 companies and 100,000 employees.

As part of the initiative, Penn College hosted a statewide conference April 26-28 at the Williamsport Holiday Inn. Representatives from each of the schools that constitute the commonwealth's community college system and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education attended. Sandi Vito, deputy secretary for workforce development for the state Department of Labor and Industry, provided the keynote address and reviewed Gov. Ed Rendell's workforce-development strategies.

"Penn College has assumed an ever-increasing role in delivering workforce-development services throughout the commonwealth, and we are pleased to have been selected to provide administrative oversight and overall management for this nationally recognized program," said Larry L. Michael, executive director for workforce and economic development for Penn College. "This program is a major component of Gov. Rendell's overall workforce-development commitment and provides Penn College the opportunity to assist with coordination of training services to businesses in each of the 67 counties."

"Penn College is proud to have been selected to administer the largest incumbent worker training program in the commonwealth," said Penn College President Davie Jane Gilmour. "We are pleased to provide the management and coordination services for WEDnetPA and to work with the 33 colleges and universities in the network to administer this important program. The training provided through this initiative helps keep Pennsylvania's businesses competitive in today's global economy."

To administer the program, Penn College opened a Harrisburg location.

"Administering this program requires close coordination with the commonwealth's Department of Community and Economic Development and with the Department of Labor and Industry," said Tom J. Venditti, Penn College's WEDnetPA statewide director in Harrisburg. "The Harrisburg location greatly enhances the coordination and communication with these agencies and will provide additional opportunities for Penn College in the future."

For more information about Penn College's workforce-development efforts, visit online or call (570) 327-4775.

For more information about the Guaranteed Free Training Program or WEDnetPA, call toll-free (877) 933-6387 or visit on the Web.