The Lehigh Valley will have a seat at the table as Pennsylvania government sets policies and develops programs to build the state’s workforce and create paths for workers to advance their careers.
Don Cunningham, President and CEO of Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. (LVEDC), is one of more than 40 people who were named recently to the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board by Gov. Josh Shapiro. 
Cunningham brings a broad background to the role. He has led LVEDC for the past 11 years and previously was Mayor of Bethlehem, County Executive of Lehigh County, and Secretary of General Services under former Gov. Ed Rendell. Cunningham has served on the Workforce Board Lehigh Valley for the last 18 years during his tenure as Lehigh County Executive and in his current role. Prior to his public sector career, Cunningham worked for the Fortune 500-company PPL in Allentown and served in the Moravian University administration in Bethlehem.
"A growing and properly trained workforce is critical to economic development," Cunningham said. It's an honor to be asked by Governor Shapiro to serve on the statewide Board. I look forward to taking my experience here to the state."
The Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board, housed under the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I), is the Governor’s private-sector policy advisory board on building a workforce system aligned with state education and economic development goals.
The Board includes membership from labor, businesses, local government, community organizations, and state government.
Its mission is to ensure that Pennsylvania's entire workforce system, covering many programs in multiple departments and agencies, meets employers' needs for skilled workers and workers' needs for career and economic advancement. The Board provides policy guidance and direction to policymakers, evaluates performance of programs, and recommends continuous improvements.
“We have a people-powered economy in Pennsylvania, and we need to invest in and expand our workforce to meet the demands of today and tomorrow,” Shapiro said. “This diverse group of experienced leaders representing labor and business across every Pennsylvania industry will help us make smart investments to produce the results that we all want – a thriving economy where workers have access to stable careers with family-sustaining wages and employers have the talent they need to continue growing their businesses while supporting communities across the Commonwealth.”
Shapiro prioritized workforce development in the 2023-24 Pennsylvania budget. Passed with bipartisan support of the Legislature, it allocates $23.5 million for workforce training and vo-tech programs and $6 million in pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programming. An additional $3.5 million funds the Schools-to-Work Program to develop and expand career pathways for high school students via partnerships between schools, employers, organizations, and the Commonwealth.
Shapiro visited the Allentown campus of the Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Technical College on Aug. 30 to highlight the state’s commitment to developing the workforce of the future in the building and construction trades.
He touted the state’s plan to dedicate $400 million in federal infrastructure funding to workforce development in what he said is the first program of its kind in the nation. Organizations performing work that is paid for with funds from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act are eligible to receive up to $40,000 for each new worker they train. Statewide, that would add 10,000 new workers.
“This is the biggest investment in workforce training in the history of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” he said.
LVEDC brings together partners from education, businesses, government, and community organizations to develop plans for attracting, retaining, and developing the workforce for the Lehigh Valley.
LVEDC’s Education and Talent Supply Council creates and executes data-driven regional strategies. Other initiatives include focus groups, interviews, and surveys to gauge needs. That research has resulted in the development of an annual Internship Summit, the creation of several Talent Study reports, and an annual Hot Careers Guide that informs middle and high school students and the community about what jobs are in-demand and where they can obtain the education necessary for those jobs.
New this year is a Hot Careers Dashboard, an interactive website that allows students and their families to explore jobs, industries, wages, educational programs, and career paths.
(Photo by Marco Calderon Photography)