Workforce Development VP among panelists on skills-gap broadcast

Penn College's vice president for workforce development was among the guests on this week's "Keystone Edition – Business," a public affairs program broadcast by the region's public television affiliate. Shannon M. Munro joined Annette Weiss, assistant dean of nursing and chief nurse administrator at Misericordia University, and Sara Maaske, senior director of product at Penn Foster, on a WVIA-TV panel moderated by host Kris Jones. With Baby Boomers retiring from the skilled trades and a shortage of younger workers to take their places, the panelists brainstormed strategies for addressing the issue. "We go about solving the skills-gap problem at Penn College from multiple directions," Munro said. "Graduating students that have the skills that are needed in the workforce when they complete, but also helping companies who are continuously needing to train their current workforce because the climate is constantly changing." She also provided an overview of the college's far-reaching apprenticeship program, funded by an $8 million U.S. Department of Labor grant and benefiting such companies as First Quality and West Pharmaceutical Services. A replay of the series' "Trading Up" episode is available through WVIA OnDemand and through WVIA's Facebook page.