Issues to Watch are existing or potential local, state, and national trends, issues or policies that could positively or negatively impact workforce or economic development in Central Pennsylvania.

These significant concerns and their potential impact are researched and analyzed by CPWDC. Reports are made available in order to inform the media and the general public and to provide policy makers with information needed to make well-informed decisions about issues that will directly impact Central Pennsylvania.

Below are brief descriptions of and links to the noteworthy Issues to Watch in Central Pennsylvania.

Green Jobs

As the economy is recovering, there is much talk about the potential for creating Green Jobs in the United States. O*NET Online defines the green economy as “economic activity related to reducing the use of fossil fuels, decreasing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, increasing the efficiency of energy usage, recycling materials, and developing and adopting renewable sources of energy.”

The US Department of Labor has identified 12 sectors and 81 occupations (broken into three categories based on the consequences of green economy activities and technologies on occupational performance: Green New & Emerging, Green Enhanced Skills and Green Increased Demand)that make up the green economy. Click here to learn more.

Pennsylvania’s green strategy focuses on 5 sectors that have the most potential for growth. Click here to access the Center for Workforce Information and Analysis’s Green Jobs Report.

Marcellus Shale Development

Central Pennsylvania is geographically positioned in the middle of the Marcellus Shale play, which is considered to be one of the largest potential natural gas reserves in the United States. While the existence of the resource has been known for years, only recent developments in technology that allow for horizontal drilling have made it possible to extract natural gas from the region. As major natural gas companies and their affiliated supply chain partners move into Centre, Clinton,Columbia and Lycoming Counties, the potential for significant job creation lies ahead. CPWDC is working with a number of regional partners to ensure that our residents are informed about the opportunities and demands of the industry as well as technically prepared to compete for the available jobs.

Interested in learning more about the types and volume of jobs expected? Click here to link to the Marcellus Shale Workforce Needs Assessment co-authored by the Pennsylvania College of Technology and Penn State University.

For a map of the Marcellus Shale and information on the number of wells and permits, click here.

Reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act

Originally passed in 1998, the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) was set to sunset in 2003. Although never formally reauthorized each time it was revisited by Congress, the Act has been extended several times. With the curret economy bringing more attention to the jobs crisis, both House and Senate authorizers have introduced a WIA reauthorization bill expected to be acted on in 2010.

CPWDC contributed to the Workforce Innovators Network position paper on the content of a reauthorized WIA. To learn more about, those positions, click here.