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 If
in-school or out-of-school youth were more
aware of the kinds of careers that are available
to them in the region—and the education and/or
training required in order to obtain employment in these
careers with local employers—then students could
pursue the right education, and employers could
find the skilled employees they seek.
To enhance this youth career and postsecondary
awareness, Goodwill Industries of the Conemaugh
Valley (GICV) operates
the Southern Alleghenies Career Education
Partnership (SACEP).
SACEP is one of Pennsylvania's 22 Regional
Career Education Partnerships tasked with
promoting high-priority occupations in
Pennsylvania and helping schools to address the
Pennsylvania Department of Education's Career
Education and Work Standards at www.pacareerstandards.com.
Another major focus is to increase awareness of
career exploration resources such as the CareerZone
Pennsylvania, an online career education
research tool for youth, at
www.pacareerzone.com.
 When school guidance and career counselors lack
adequate time to fully address the pending
career needs of students, and employers lack
available staff to individually contact
schools to identify workforce-readiness skills,
GICV’s SACEP staff bridges the gap.
SACEP works
directly with high school personnel in Bedford,
Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon, and Somerset
counties to enhance career and postsecondary
awareness for youth by bringing business leaders into
classrooms, placing educators into
workplaces, and providing work-based learning
for youth through the many
vehicles listed below:
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Classroom Speakers
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Workplace Tours
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Job-Shadowing
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Work-Readiness Training
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Educator in the Workplace Program
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Expert in the Schoolplace Program
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In-Service Presentations
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Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
(STEM)-
Related Classroom Activities
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Classroom Tours and Postsecondary
Exploration
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Dropout Prevention and Re-engagement
Strategies
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CareerLinking Academy (fee-based)
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 To
facilitate these awareness activities, GICV's SACEP
program collaborates with many education, school
advisory, economic development, and
workforce-related committees in the Southern
Alleghenies. These include, but are not
limited to, Johnstown Area Regional Industries'
Business and Education Consortia;
BASICS (Businesses and Schools Investing in
Cooperative Solutions) groups in Bedford, Blair,
and Huntingdon Counties; Somerset Chamber
Education Committee; Southern Alleghenies
Workforce Investment Board's Youth Council; and
more.
School districts and businesses are
encouraged to contact GICV to collaborate on
these important initiatives for youth and
youth-serving personnel.
For more information on GICV's Southern
Alleghenies Career Education Partnership, contact Aimee
Garay at (814) 536-3536, ext. 288 or
agaray@goodwilljohnstown.org.
Download SAWIB's FAST FACTS on the
region's top industries, occupations, average
salaries, and education.
Source:
SAWIB
Funded by Goodwill
Industries of the Conemaugh Valley, Inc.
Service area by counties: Bedford, Blair,
Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon, and Somerset.
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