Participants Included Students from Berks, Chester and Montgomery Counties
Project RECONNECT, the innovative cross-county collaboration that supports students whose post-secondary educations were interrupted, hosted the “People.Connected Career Summit” on April 29 at the Desmond Hotel in Malvern, PA. Powered by the Chester County Economic Development Council (CCEDC) and the Workforce Development Boards of Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties, the event provided micro workshops on skills including Communicating Effectively, Ensuring Professionalism, Knowing Your Body Language, Asking Great Questions, and Building Trust to Succeed, as well as networking opportunities for students enrolled in the program.
“Project RECONNECT was created to help students eliminate barriers to finishing their credential or degree,” said Patti VanCleave, CCEDC Vice President of Workforce Development. “Once that goal is achieved, we want to ensure they have the tools, connections, and resources to continue on their career paths and enter the workforce in their preferred fields.”
The People.Connected Career Summit offered attendees the opportunity to learn valuable skills and tips during the micro workshop sessions. They were immediately able to put them into real-time practice while networking with local business and non-profit leaders from companies including CCIU, Devereux, Haven Behavioral Hospital, College Together, Angel Companions, Row Psychiatric Services and more to learn about their organizations and explore potential career opportunities.
“Since the day they enrolled, each Project RECONNECT student has worked closely with a Success Navigator who has provided a safety net and coaching,” said Bethanie Emery, CCEDC’s Lead Navigator for the initiative. “The People.Connected Career Summit is the next step in our continued support and dedication to helping establish these students in a productive and satisfying career.”
Forty-five percent of the students enrolled are pursuing education in health care. One graduate completed her nursing certification at Penn State University Berks and took her state boards in March 2024. She is now working as a nurse in a PA state institution.
Since the program launched on June 1, 2023, 109 students have enrolled; 13 have graduated to date and the remaining 96 are expected to graduate by June 30, 2024. Financial assistance has been provided for expenses such as tuition, childcare, transportation and more. Participating schools include Chestnut Hill College, CHCI-Contemporary Health Career Institute Dental Assistant Training, Delaware County Community College, Gwynedd Mercy University, Harcum College, MedCerts, Montgomery County Community College, NuPaths, Peirce College, Penn State University Abington and Penn State University Berks, and West Chester University.
CCEDC has administered this first-of-its-kind collaboration. The Chester County Workforce Development Board is the fiscal agent for the Project RECONNECT grant awarded to the Workforce Development Boards of Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.
