Visit the Sweetest Place on Earth... and Keep Pennsylvania Working

There’s no better combination.  Attend, sponsor, or exhibit at the 28th Annual Employment, Training, and Education Conference to be held May 16 - 18, 2012 in Hershey, Pennsylvania and you’ll get to visit the “Sweetest Place on Earth” and participate in the Pennsylvania conference designed to Keep PA Working.

Now more than ever, the public workforce system faces challenges to come up with creative solutions to the jobs crisis, even while federal and state funding continues to decline. Historically resilient, Pennsylvania’s workforce development community is responding to these challenges, leveraging scarce dollars and ingenuity to connect citizens to the right resources to prepare them for jobs in today’s unstable labor market. From employment “kiosks” placed in public libraries to job clubs to job spidering, Pennsylvania’s workforce professionals are meeting the challenges head on to “Keep PA Working.” PA CareerLinks® remain an invaluable resource to making the connections between workers and jobs. And local workforce investment boards continue to address emerging economic challenges as they chart a new course for employment and job-training policy to keep Pennsylvania competitive in a global economy.

The Pennsylvania Partners Annual Employment, Training, & Education Conference was first organized in 1984 and has since grown to attract more than 1,000 professionals from all facets of workforce development. Attendees include Workforce Investment Board staff and members, PA CareerLink® One-Stop staff, training provider, Workforce Investment Act program providers, Department of Public Welfare and County Assistance Offices, adult basic education providers, career and technical educators, Department of Education staff, economic development professionals, and other community-based organizations.

Attend
This year’s conference will feature prominent plenary speakers, including Jody Urquhart, Author and Humorist and Simran Sidhu, Executive Director, YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School, who will inspire and motivate attendees. In more than 40 informative workshops, attendees will learn about new emerging workforce ideas and technologies that will foster new ideas that can be shared with others across the state. The 2012 conference will also feature several “Super Sessions,” or larger workshop sessions focusing on subjects of interest to a broader audience than the typical workshop.

Find out the latest intelligence directly from federal and state policymakers as well as some of the movers and shakers in the halls of Washington, DC and Harrisburg, PA. Both plenary sessions and workshops will explore current workforce legislation, appropriations, and policy proposals, including Workforce Investment Act reauthorization, TANF, education proposals, and more.

What do policy gurus predict for future workforce direction and funding? What are the proposals to turn around high unemployment and create jobs? Governor Tom Corbett, state cabinet officials, federal government leaders, and national workforce leaders are being invited to address participants at the conference.

Two premier awards events pay tribute to the individuals and the employers who exemplify the spirit of the workforce development system to advance skills, gain employment, create jobs, and help others. The Governor’s Achievement Awards recognize individuals who go above and beyond to overcome obstacles and achieve their employment and training goals. The Governor’s Employer Awards honor businesses that not only use the system to hire individuals for jobs, but also give back to the workforce system and their communities.

Don’t miss the Partner Showcase, where you can meet face-to-face with a variety of workforce product and service providers, catch up with your colleagues, and build relationships you can bank on well into the future. The Partner Showcase is open Wednesday afternoon through Thursday afternoon and will host all refreshment breaks as well as the popular Networking Reception on Wednesday evening. All drawings for door prizes are held throughout the day in the Partner Showcase; visit often as you must be present to win!

And of course, where better to spend a few days than at the beautiful Hershey Lodge in Hershey, Pennsylvania, the “Sweetest Place on Earth”?  Shopping, dining and relaxation are only a small part of the Hershey experience where you will find museums, the Hershey Gardens, Chocolate World, and more.

Sponsor
Sponsor the conference, and information about the products and services you offer will reach key workforce decision-makers in workforce development. We have many packages available, or we will custom design a package for you. Ask us about how you and your partner organizations can create a co-sponsorship to maximize your investment! Sponsorship opportunities are available for:

• NEW! Mobile Application
• Conference Bags
• Breakfast Plenary
• Networking Reception
• Cyber Cafe
• Networking Breaks
• Awards Luncheon
• Closing Plenary
• Friday Breakfast
• Attendee Pens
• Take One Literature Display
• Coffee Service (including service to specialized technical workgroups!)

Exhibit
Exhibit in the Partner Showcase at the 2012 conference where you will showcase your products and services to decision-makers. Showcase opportunities include:

• Great American Lobby Booth
• Prime Partner Showcase Booth
• Partner Showcase Booth
• NEW! Virtual Partner Showcase Participation for those who are unable to attend in person

For complete up-to-the-minute information and registration details to attend, sponsor, or exhibit, visit www.papartners.org.

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