Opening the door to adult education opportunities in Lebanon County, workforce development and other local officials held a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday at Tech Centro Lebanon.
Starting in late September, the City of Lebanon Workforce Training Facility, known as WEPA, will offer training in four medical fields: nursing assisting, phlebotomy, medical administrative assistant and medical assisting, said Kay Littman, executive director of Tech Centro. The company plans to begin offering adult education classes. Lebanon.
Construction is set to begin in the basement of Tech Centro in the old Elks Building in downtown Lebanon to house 50 to 70 students who will take classes in the Allied Health Training Room.
“One of the promises is that it will have a significant impact on this community and the future of this community,” Littman said.
In their remarks to the audience, Littman and WEPA co-founder Rafael Torres said the need for an adult education center is long overdue.
“The need for this facility that we came here to celebrate today is really urgent and serious,” Littman said. “Our community, like many others, is facing a critical shortage of health care workers. Demand has never been greater, and these professionals are supporting our communities and health care systems. They are at the heart of ensuring that all patients receive the care and attention they deserve.”
“The board will probably drive them to the wall: ‘What is this sense of urgency?’ I heard that one time in a board meeting,” Torres said. “We should have done this yesterday, but we don't have time to talk about this and that. We can't do that. We have to be smart and talk about it, but not to the point where nothing happens.”
While WEPA provides the training facilities, the education portion will be conducted through a partnership with Harrisburg Area Community College.
“These training rooms will provide education, a critical education and provide students with hands-on experience that will equip them with the skills they need to perform in these important roles,” Littman added. . “What sets Tec Centro's model apart is that it not only produces qualified workers, but also provides training that allows marginalized and underemployed communities to benefit greatly from these premium jobs. It’s about providing opportunities.”
In addition to educational training in their chosen field, all students will receive “comprehensive support along the way,” Littman said. This includes career counseling, job readiness guidance, financial literacy education, and job placement assistance.
Tech Centro Lebanon already offers a menu of employment services for job seekers and employers, including language training, job placement, resume writing and more.
“We take a holistic approach and treat the whole person so that they can be healthy and productive members of society,” Littman added. “Thanks to grants and philanthropic sponsorship, these training costs are covered and the financial barriers faced by many vulnerable people are reduced. Thanks to your help, We are removing that barrier.”
Costs are expected to be $100 per student in three of the four subject areas. The fourth medical aid will cost $200 per student, according to a WEPA fact sheet.
“This opens doors for so many people and provides them with the opportunity to pursue rewarding careers while also meeting the health care needs of their communities for their friends, neighbors, and families,” Littman said. he said. “As we look to the future, our focus is that we have to remain solid.”
Littman added that these are important times for WEPA.
“Our next steps are critical, and part of that is building strong partnerships. We are excited to work with Harrisburg Area Community College,” Littman said. “These partnerships provide high-quality training as our curriculum is not only comprehensive but also compliant with industry standards.”
Mr. Littman noted that student registration and processing is another urgent and critical element that WEPA authorities need to address.
After the groundbreaking ceremony, Littman told Rebtown that adults interested in pursuing a career in any of the four fields will be invited to attend a 9 p.m. meeting at the center on June 24 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. He said that he was able to attend the Allied Health career path information session as a walk-in. Lebanon South 9th Street.
“We are going to reach out to the community, especially people who have never considered a career in the medical field,” she said. “Together with our friends here at CareerLink, we're going to share those opportunities. It's about casting a vision and getting people to see things they never dreamed of. That's what empowerment is all about. That’s what I love about this job.”
Littman told the audience that the center has other needs that it hopes community partners will help meet.
“We will continue to need equipment, so cutting-edge tools and technology are essential to providing quality training,” she said. “We are once again appealing to our community to support this effort. Whether it is through donations, sponsorships, or partnerships, all of these donations will help our students prepare for the realities of the medical field. It will play an important role.”
Tec Centro Lebanon is modeled on the highly successful Tec Centro Lancaster, which also spawned Tec Centro York and Tec Centro Berks.
Tec Centro Network CEO Carlos Graupera called this a special moment, adding that establishing a community development center in Lebanon was a long time coming.
“Interesting things happen when you build a building like this,” Graupera said. “People start dreaming and realize that they need to own their own problems because no one will solve them for them, and that solutions are possible. ”
There are many “problems” that facilities like WEPA can address.
“We have issues like underemployment, unemployment, wage inequality and equality, all of which can be addressed in a business-like way, and by providing a platform for everyone to participate and collaborate, we can tackle the communities that divide us. We can solve the problem,” Graupera added. “This is going to be very beneficial to the entire Lebanese community, which is what we are doing today.”
Other speakers who made the WEPA Declaration as part of their presentations included State Representative John Schlegel (R-101), Lebanon County Commissioner Bob Phillips, and Mayor Shelley Capello.
Lebanon County Chamber of Commerce CEO Karen Grow and representatives from State Sen. Chris Gebhardt's office also provided statements to Torres and his wife, WEPA co-founder Maribel.
After the presentation, attendees and stakeholders gathered in the area that will serve as the Allied Health Training Classroom for a “groundbreaking ceremony,” but the flooring had already been installed.
Instead of a traditional groundbreaking ceremony involving shovels, a number of WEPA officials and other dignitaries used construction tools to destroy three different drywall panels to mark the occasion and begin the construction project.
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