Information Technology

The information and communication services cluster in the Southeast Region includes businesses engaged in the production and dissemination of information such as newspapers and Internet providers. Also included are information support industries (e.g., computer systems design). Although the total employment in this cluster is among the smallest of the statewide clusters, the average annual wages paid demonstrates some significance to Pennsylvania’s economy from a workforce perspective. The top six employers of this cluster reside in the Southeast Region.

An Information Technology Industry Partnership was developed to unite regional information technology employers and employees to coordinate needs assessment, training, and education for high-demand technical occupations in the information technology industry sector. The alliance will inform and promote careers in IT-related fields to youth, as well as identify and develop key workforce initiatives needed by the existing IT workforce to enhance the competitive position of the IT industry cluster and to provide long-term earnings and career opportunities for employees.

This partnership is raising the awareness of career opportunities and educational and workforce needs affecting the regional information and communication sector, as well as identifying cross-industry training opportunities. The Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania and the South Central Pennsylvania WIB are working with the region’s information and communications companies to align training/education to meet industry demand by combining resources and help create new career ladders within and across companies through the development of an industry credential.

This project will create the Greater Philadelphia Information and Communications Services Industry Partnership that will be comprised of key industry leaders, workforce and economic development organizations, and academic institutions to explore this targeted industry further and identify the future employment needs within the industry.

The goals are to:

The primary focus of this partnership is to conduct industry-driven outreach related to the information technology needs of businesses in Columbia County and the six surrounding counties. Information technology needs will be assessed, with the assistance of Institute of Interactive Technologies, to determine the training needs of all IT companies in the region or other regional businesses that have IT training needs. The goal is to improve technological advances and information technology for regional businesses through workforce development.

This partnership will support the creation of an Information Assurance Career Development Program designed to: Identify the information assurance training and educational needs of regional businesses; assess the level of knowledge/training necessary for the positions; identify internship opportunities for students; create an “industry architecture” that will employ a highly skilled information assurance workforce; and inventory existing programs and curricula in the region.

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern Pennsylvania plans to develop a Northwest Pennsylvania industry partnership for a new cluster within information technology focused on radio frequency identification.

The Tri-County Workforce Investment Board has joined with local employers to support the information technology and communication services industry in its area. This project will take a collaborative approach to building a consortium, identifying skill gaps, and assessing training needs in order to increase industry competitiveness as well as creating opportunities for advancement for workers.

This is an exploratory and developmental approach to solidify and move forward an industry partnership around information technology occupations in the Berks and Lancaster County Workforce Investment Areas. It is anticipated that this partnership may be transportable to the developing Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development initiative in Northeast Pennsylvania.