The Education and Talent Supply Council of Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) recently discussed several strategies for how to expand the regional workforce. 

At Northampton Community College on April 23, about 80 council members heard about opportunities to participate in a new initiative by one of the Lehigh Valley’s school districts. They also were offered advice on the best ways to engage with out-of-market talent they are trying to recruit here.

The Education and Talent Supply Council, which includes employers, educators, and community organizations, collectively creates regional strategies to help the Lehigh Valley attract, develop, and retain its workforce.

The attendance at the recent meeting was the council’s largest ever.

Pre-Apprenticeship Program

Bethlehem Area School District plans to launch a pre-apprenticeship program for juniors and seniors at its two high schools in the second semester of the 2025-26 school year. The program, which is pending state certification, is the first of its kind offered by a Lehigh Valley school district and is a partnership with Lehigh Valley employers.

“It takes a village to help our students be successful, and so there are lots of opportunities for all of you to get involved,” Maureen Leeson, the district’s Assistant Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer, told the council.

Bethlehem Area School District created the pre-apprenticeship program to help train the workforce that Lehigh Valley employers need and to provide more opportunities for students, who are showing greater interest than anticipated in the program, said Rick Amato, Supervisor of Business, Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics.

The district hoped for 20 students in the first year; 29 have signed up already. The pre-apprenticeship program consists of classroom work, hands-on learning, and site visits to employers.

“We researched various manufacturing programs and certificates to understand the most important skills that we needed,” Amato said.

District officials met with some of the companies in the Industrial Training and Education Consortium of the Lehigh Valley, a partnership of industry, education, government, and community organizations that promotes careers in advanced manufacturing, who also provided insights and guidance on the program. And they consulted with the district’s career and technical school, the Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School, and Northampton Community College.

Students who complete the pre-apprenticeship program exit with a stronger understanding of what it takes to work in the manufacturing sector. They will be ready to join a formal apprenticeship program, continue their coursework with NCC, or pursue a career in another facet of the industry.

The state provided a $201,145 schools-to-work grant, and this program will directly link students to the state’s industrial manufacturing technician apprenticeship.

Students will be OHSA 10 safety certified and CPR certified. Training will include technical drawings, math and measurements, quality control, 3D printers and other machinery, and chemical analysis, said Amy Meyers, Career Pathways Liaison at Bethlehem Area School District.

They will work on a “real-world challenge” from an iTEC partner and have mock interviews.

“We want this to be as hands-on as possible,” Meyers said. “They progress from learning the basics to taking on more advanced tasks and working with machinery, ultimately becoming well-rounded candidates for any job.”

Welcoming New Talent

Also at the Education and Talent Supply Council meeting, Katelyn Mack, President of the Lehigh Valley Inter-Regional Networking & Connecting Consortium (LINC), offered advice for employers as they work to attract talent from outside the area.

LINC is a nonprofit that shares information about the region with newcomers and those who are considering moving here to get acclimated and make them feel at home. LINC works closely with companies to help them gain a competitive edge in their talent strategies to attract high quality talent and reduce employee turnover.

“Everyone is coming with this different idea of what they want to get out of the Lehigh Valley. It's very personalized,” Mack said.

Sought after information includes where they can live, affordability and availability of housing, schools, recreational opportunities, worship opportunities, diversity of community, health care, and veterinary care.

Mack suggested employers:

• Inspire out-of-the-area talent by highlighting the Lehigh Valley as a thriving region with diverse events, amenities, and activities.
• Inform them about neighborhoods, towns, and school districts, stressing the regional nature of the area and including links to relocations guides such as the Welcome Guide published by LVEDC and Discover Lehigh Valley ®.
• Guide them into getting to know the Lehigh Valley by scheduling an immersive visit, offering personalized hotel recommendations, and offering tours with real estate agents.
• Advise them with resources such as LINC and career support information for those moving with a partner.

LINC has helped people from 48 states get established in the Lehigh Valley – all but South Dakota and New Mexico. New York, Texas, New Jersey, Ohio, Florida, Maryland, California, and Virginia are the top locations they move from. Mack said 16% of potential relocating talent lives elsewhere in Pennsylvania.