People.Connected Career Summit supports Project RECONNECT participants

Project RECONNECT — a cross-county collaborative program that supports students whose post-secondary educations were interrupted — has added a new dimension to the program that helps get students back into the classroom.

The program hosted its first People.Connected Career Summit on Monday, sponsored by the Chester County Economic Development Council and the Workforce Development Boards of Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties.

The People.Connected Career Summit provided attendees with a variety of micro workshops on skills including communicating effectively, ensuring professionalism, knowing your body language, asking great questions, and building trust to succeed, according to a press release.

“Project RECONNECT was created to help students eliminate barriers to finishing their credential or degree,” Patti VanCleave, Chester County Economic Development Council vice president of workforce development, said in a statement. “Once that goal is achieved, we want to ensure they have the tools, connections, and resources to continue on their career paths and enter the workforce in their preferred fields.”

Attendees also had the opportunity to learn valuable skills and tips during the workshop sessions that they were able to put into practice immediately while networking with local business and non-profit leaders. Among the companies they were able to network with were: CCIU, Devereux, Haven Behavioral Hospital, College Together, Angel Companions, and Row Psychiatric Services — to learn about the organizations and explore potential career opportunities.

“Since the day they enrolled, each Project RECONNECT student has worked closely with a Success Navigator who has provided a safety net and coaching,” Bethanie Emery, Chester County Economic Development Council’s lead navigator for the initiative, said in a statement. “The People.Connected Career Summit is the next step in our continued support and dedication to helping establish these students in a productive and satisfying career.”

Project RECONNECT was launched in June 2023 to assist students from Berks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties by providing the financial assistance they need to complete their unfinished degrees. The program was designed to remove obstacles someone has faced in obtaining a degree or certification so they can complete their post-secondary education.

Students accepted into the program have received support for expenses including tuition, child care, transportation, books and lab fees.

Forty-five percent of the students enrolled in Project RECONNECT are pursuing education in health care, according to the release.

During its first year — of the 109 students that have enrolled in Project RECONNECT — 13 have graduated to date and the remaining 96 are expected to graduate by June 30. Participating schools include Chestnut Hill College, CHCI-Contemporary Health Career Institute Dental Assistant Training, Delaware County Community College, Gwynedd Mercy University, Harcum College, MedCerts, Montgomery County Community College, NuPaths, Peirce College, Penn State University Abington and Penn State University Berks, and West Chester University.

When students complete their program, they are connected with employers as well as workforce development programs like PA CareerLink, the Economic Development Council’s Health Care Connect and Hire One programs.

The Chester County Economic Development Council has been the administrator of the program. The Chester County Workforce Development Board is the fiscal agent for the Project RECONNECT grant awarded to the Workforce Development Boards of Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.