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COUNTY OF BUCKS | DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | JULY 2022 ISSUE
A MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Executive Director Billie Barnes faces the camera
As the Department of Workforce and Economic Development (WED) begins a new program year this month, I am excited to present the July newsletter with a refreshed layout, more interactive content, and a new name: Bucks Workonomics. This title embodies the effort to synchronize development and workforce development networks, combining the “work” of workforce with the “onomics” of economic development. This blend word represents the county’s goal of aligning workforce development and economic development as one department, reducing the gap between two systems that are essentially stronger together. When the two networks are aligned, job seekers receive training that employers demand—resulting in higher wages and career advancement—and employers have access to a skilled workforce that enables growth and increased productivity. The economic benefits extend beyond employees and employers to the broader community.

The common thread to uniting workforce and economic development networks is investing in Bucks County’s greatest asset: people. WED is committed to leveraging funds to help job seekers secure family-sustaining wages, prepare youth for fulfilling careers to compete in the 21st-century workforce, connecting local employers to the resources they need to grow their businesses and contribute to a thriving area economy. That’s what WED strives to do every day through partnerships made stronger by nurturing relationships among all stakeholder groups.

To focus further on relationship building, I welcome you to join WED on July 13 to discuss ways to encourage a supportive workforce culture that leads to greater employee retention. Human resources expert Heather R. Younger will share actionable strategies to create a more engaged and loyal workforce. Attendees will leave energized and inspired to create more positive experiences for everyone in the workplace.

I hope you enjoy all the newsletter offers and, most importantly, stay connected with ways to invest in Bucks County’s people through workforce and economic development.

Sincerely,
Billie F. Barnes
UPCOMING EVENTS
WORKFORCE & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEWS
WORKFORCE HIGHLIGHTS
Brian Cummings Joins WED as Economic Development Program Manager

Brian Cummings has spent the last decade becoming an accomplished professional in Workforce and Economic Development. He served as the director of PA CareerLink® Bucks County from 2015 to May 2022, when he accepted the role of Economic Development program manager for the County of Bucks. Under his leadership, PA CareerLink® won the Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce Champions Award and Best of Bucks Award for Workforce Investment. Cummings has presented at the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals Youth Symposium, Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association Conference, and the Pennsylvania Association of Career and Technical Administrators Conference.

As program manager, Cummings conducts outreach to employers throughout Bucks County. “I plan to connect them with valuable resources that promote economic development, including the Industrial Development Authority, Redevelopment Authority, Bucks County Economic Development Corporation, Bucks County Planning Commission, and PA CareerLink® Bucks County,” said Cummings.

Connect with Brian Cummings, bcummings@buckscounty.org or 267-374-4773, to discuss how your business can benefit from the many resources available for Bucks County employers and startups.
Career Seeker Success Story
Who's Hiring Bucks County Residents
WORKFORCE PARTNERSHIPS IN ACTION
Apprenticeship: The Employer Advantage
Recruiting, training, and retaining talent is the most important thing employers do. Apprenticeship programs allow employers to take charge of building their own pipeline of highly-skilled and highly-motivated workers.

Apprenticeship programs help employers:

  • Recruit and develop a highly-skilled workforce that helps grow their business 
  • Improve productivity, profitability, and an employer’s bottom line. 
  • Create flexible training options that ensure workers develop the right skills. 
  • Minimize liability costs through appropriate training of workers. 
  • Receive tax credits and employee tuition benefits in participating states.
  • Increase retention of workers during and following the apprenticeship.  

Apprenticeship can be customized to meet your business needs in Bucks County. Contact Adina Tayar, Regional Apprenticeship coordinator, at atayar@edsisolutions.com or 267-254-1225.
Top 5 Things to Know About Reentry
  1. Reentry is a process that begins when an individual is incarcerated (pre-release) and ends with reintegration into the community (post-release).
  2. Collaboration is key: Successful reentry involves working together to achieve a common goal that is difficult or impossible to reach without the assistance of another.
  3. Reentry is based on the belief in treating everyone with dignity, that people are capable of change, and that incarceration and parole are opportunities, not just punishment.  
  4. Good reentry is good for everyone: communities, crime victims, taxpayers, the criminal justice system as a whole (police, corrections, courts), and justice-involved individuals.
  5. When employers participate in reentry, they provide life-changing opportunities to returning citizens for a second chance to get their lives back on track while filling positions essential to a thriving business.

The Bucks County Reentry Coalition enhances collaboration among community and professional partners working with formerly incarcerated individuals to encourage broad-based community support for reentry services. The Coalition provides information and access to resources for these individuals.
EMPLOYER & JOB SEEKER RESOURCES
Happening Now at PA CareerLink®
  • Upcoming events
  • Featured jobs
  • Networking opportunities
  • Career-related workshops
  • And more!

Scan the QR code or go to our quick links.
CareerLink Linktree link
HEADLINES & TRENDS
STAY CONNECTED