River Valley Roundtable Focuses on Partnerships and Workforce Development

A who’s who of business leaders and public officials discussed how various institutions can partner to advance workforce development opportunities at an Oct. 1 roundtable discussion at the River Valley STEAM Academy.

The discussion, facilitated by Indiana County Office of Planning and Development provided a space for collaboration among educational institutions, government, industry leaders and unions.

“These partnerships are essential for aligning education with industry needs, especially in high-demand occupations,” a River Valley news release said.

Participants at the roundtable included Pennsylvania Department of Education Career and Technical Education Director Judd Pittman; Byron G. Stauffer, Jr.; Indiana County Chamber of Commerce President Mark Hilliard; Jonathan Longwell, from the office of Senator Joe Pittman; Jill Mountain, from the office of Rep. Jim Struzzi; REA President and CEO Chad Carrick; Tim Wisyanski, of IBEW Local No. 5; Kristen Hanson and Chris Sanders, of Enbridge; Matthew Harrison, Clint Shinsky and Lisa Cubarney, of Westinghouse; Andrew Mercer, of Educational Solutions Enterprises; Community College of Allegheny County advanced technologies professor Justin Starr; Saint Francis University School of Health Sciences and Education Dean Dan Walkovich; Saint Francis University Division of Professional Studies Dean Julie Warnick; Rochelle Johnson, of Diverse Industrial Solutions; University of Pittsburgh cybersecurity consultant and professor Mike Pry; CNX Resources community relations manager Shani Yeldell; CNX Resources community relations director Audric Dodds; CVS health workforce initiatives manager Sean Ware; CVSD health workforce initiatives associate manager Debbie Collier; IUP career and technical personnel preparation associate director Paula Andrei; and IUP career and technical personnel preparation director Monica Murdoch.

River Valley representatives included school board Vice President Connie Constantino, superintendent Philip Martell, assistant superintendent Regina Geesey, STEAM Academy Director Shawna Little and workforce development consultant Jeffrey Geesey.

At the meeting, Judd Pittman emphasized the state’s commitment to CTE, which has seen a 5% annual growth rate, according to the River Valley news release. Pittman expressed students increasingly view CTE as a valuable differentiator in their education.

Pittman discussed aligning programs of study with registered apprenticeship pathways to improve student readiness for the workforce as well as removing hurdles to receiving industry certifications and credentials approved at the state level, the news release said.

The group discussed advancements in aviation education and artificial intelligence. Pittman stressed the importance of integrating large language models into classroom instruction, ensuring both educators and students are prepared for the evolving landscape.

“The insights shared during this roundtable discussion provide a promising outlook for the future of career and technical education in Pennsylvania, paving the way for more innovative pathways and greater collaboration between education and industry,” the news release said.