PA Secretary Davin Hosts Roundtable in Dauphin County to Discuss Governor Wolf's Job Creation Initiatives in the 2017-18 Budget, Unveils New Branding Campaign

News provided by

Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development

Feb 22, 2017, 13:14 ET

HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 22, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Davin hosted a discussion with state and community leaders and business representatives this afternoon to discuss initiatives in Governor Tom Wolf's 2017-18 budget that promote job creation, support workforce training, and break down barriers for business development.

"Governor Wolf's 2017-18 budget proposals will really benefit businesses across the commonwealth and we are excited about that," Secretary Davin said. "We'll be working to help businesses cut through bureaucracy when interacting with state government, we'll invest in a business calling program that will expand regular, proactive outreach to Pennsylvania's businesses to assist their retention and expansion efforts, and through the new Manufacturing PA, we'll work to accelerate manufacturing technology advancement and adoption, foster manufacturing innovation and commercialization, and build a highly skilled, highly trained workforce."

To address challenges that businesses can face when interacting with government, under the governor's plan, DCED will serve as a one-stop-shop for business, working with other state agencies that interface with the businesses community to become the main point of entry for these services. This initiative will cut through red tape by centralizing licensing processes, working with businesses to better understand other requirements under the law such as Worker's Compensation, Unemployment Insurance, and tax filings, and providing small businesses and other job creators with information on services the commonwealth provides to help them grow and succeed.

To prioritize and support businesses that already have roots in Pennsylvania, the businesses calling program will invest $2.5 million to expand outreach to Pennsylvania businesses to foster a coordinated, systematic retention and engagement program that can also provide helpful feedback on what is working and what is not when evaluating current state efforts.

To link job training to career pathways and ensure that training leads to careers that provide good pay and opportunities for advancement, Governor Wolf's Manufacturing PA initiative partners with the commonwealth's research universities and Industrial Resource Centers to accelerate manufacturing technology advancement and adoption, foster manufacturing innovation and commercialization, and build a 21^st century workforce.

Additionally, the new Manufacturing PA initiative includes new apprenticeship grant program to ensure workers receive training aligned with businesses' workforce needs, funded with revenue recovered by the department from companies that fail to live up to commitments made when receiving state funding; and a manufacturing training-to-career grant program that will allow manufacturing businesses to receive funds to partner with technical programs and community colleges to develop new training programs that align with their workforce needs. This $5 million program will include apprenticeships, on-the-job training opportunities, and paid internships.

"The Chamber & CREDC is pleased that Secretary Davin joined us to discuss Governor Wolf's economic development initiatives with businesses in our region. On the surface, we believe the goals outlined in the Governor's Budget will help to improve our generally strong local business climate," said David E. Black, President and CEO of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC. "Our goal as an organization is for all in our region to share the benefits of a strong local economy. We also understand Pennsylvania is a state with differing regional economies, making Secretary Davin's job complex and multifaceted. Addressing challenges and change starts with conversations, so we welcome the opportunity to both listen and engage him in a discussion about doing business in Pennsylvania."

The discussion also served to launch a new, economic and community development brand campaign, unveiling the new logo and tagline: "Work Smart. Live Happy."

The "Work Smart. Live Happy." brand strategy is an effort to refresh the image and perception of Pennsylvania and highlight the state as the premier destination to live, work and play – and ultimately to attract new business and talent to Pennsylvania. The campaign brings together economic and community development to suggest that satisfaction comes through both quality of work and quality of life, and that Pennsylvania delivers on both counts. It features content across multiple marketing channels, including video testimonials that can be used by economic and community development network to promote their communities as great places to live and do business. Additionally, logos and materials will be featured on DCED's website at dced.pa.gov/wslh.

For more information about DCED's programs and services, visit dced.pa.gov or for more information about Governor Wolf commitment to growing Pennsylvania's economy in the 2017-2018 Budget.

MEDIA CONTACT: David Misner, 717-783-1132

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development