Lehigh Valley employers, educators, and community organizations came together in record numbers to share information and hear how they can contribute to initiatives that develop talent for the region’s employers. 
About 80 members of the Education and Talent Supply Council of Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) met at Northampton Community College on Oct. 24. The council collectively creates regional strategies to help the Lehigh Valley attract, develop, and retain its workforce.
“All of the work that we do is really, at the foundation, based on data and research and what we can do to support our community, our talent development, our talent attraction, and our talent retention,” said Karianne Gelinas, LVEDC Vice President of Regional Partnerships and Talent Strategies who leads the council.
Allentown Recompete Plan
Trevor Tormann, Senior Planner at the Allentown Bureau of Planning & Zoning, shared information about a federal grant award won by the city and invited Education and Talent Supply Council members to get involved.
In August, the city received a $20 million federal Recompete grant to support, prepare, and connect people in areas of high unemployment with opportunities in manufacturing and health care, two of the Lehigh Valley’s largest employment sectors.
“There's a lot of economic opportunity throughout our region. We'd like to connect that opportunity for residents in these areas in Allentown,” Tormann said.
More than 40 organizations including LVEDC are partnering on the Recompete initiative that is designed to remove barriers to employment and empower residents. It will invest in skills training; improve public transportation; increase the supply of high-quality affordable childcare; and build a network of coaches to connect residents to opportunities.
To create employment close to those neighborhoods, the initiative will work with the Allentown Economic Development Corporation to create small, urban manufacturing sites, Tormann said. It also will engage with the local facilities of the region’s health networks.
“If you are looking at, ‘Where should we focus our investment? Where is our investment needed?’ … make your investments here,” Tormann said. “Get involved with the Recompete plan. Get involved in this area.”
Northampton Area School District’s Workplace Partnerships
Scott Oste, Secondary Curriculum Supervisor at Northampton Area School District, told the Education and Talent Supply Council about the district’s efforts to prepare students for in-demand careers in the Lehigh Valley
The district also prioritized teacher development by touring companies and speaking with leadership about their businesses and talent needs. Oste said that educating the educators yields rapid changes in what teachers teach their students because they know more about local businesses and jobs available.
The district also aligned its goals for all graduates with the critical skills demanded by local employers: communication, collaboration, innovation, leadership, critical thinking, and lifelong learning. 
To support the varying career interests of students, Northampton Area School District brings employers into classrooms to speak with students; takes students to employers to see the products and services they provide; and partners with employers to create opportunities such as job shadowing, internships, and apprenticeships.
“Our goal is to provide opportunities for students. We want to work in partnership with you,” Oste told the Education and Talent Supply Council. “We want you to feel just as equal a stake in the game as we do.”
Intern Impact Day
Karen Smith, CEO of the Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley, explained the purpose of Intern Impact Day and encouraged more companies and organizations to get involved. The day is designed to let interns make an impact on the community by volunteering, and for the interns to learn more about the region with the hope that they will chose to live and work here after graduation.
In June, 320 interns from 11 companies and organizations volunteered at 15 nonprofits.
“This is one way that we feel that students can really get engaged and they can start to build relationships that are going to help drive them to stay here in the Lehigh Valley,” Smith said.
Lehigh Valley Branding
Nicole Radzievich Mertz, LVEDC’s Vice President of Communications, Marketing, and Research, shared new videos promoting the Lehigh Valley’s branding campaign and an update on how organizations, including Moravian University and StartUp Lehigh Valley, are using the logo that was unveiled last year by Discover Lehigh Valley® and LVEDC.
At Musikfest in August, LVEDC promoted the region’s logo by giving away T-shirts and mug charms and promoted the region’s quality of life with a selfie station featuring a map of some area attractions.