Private Industry Council Celebrates Its
Outstanding Record of Service Over the Past 25 years

On October 30, 2008, the Private Industry Council of Westmoreland Fayette, Inc. (PIC), celebrated the 25th Anniversary of its Incorporation at the Willow Room in Rostraver Twp. Several dignitaries were on hand to help celebrate. During the event the Private Industry Council was presented with four official proclamations. Deputy Chief of Staff to Congressman Tim Murphy, Louis Lazzaro presented a federal proclamation; Representative Ted Harhai presented a proclamation from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives; and both Vince Zapotosky and Tom Balya presented proclamations from the Fayette and Westmoreland County Board of Commissioners, respectively. Special guests included Gregory C. Fajt, Chief of Staff for Governor Edward Rendell and David Lyon, Program Manager for ACF Region 3 Head Start. The Private Industry Council used this opportunity to honor two of its board members who have been with the agency since its inception; Joan Tracy, of Uniontown and Donna Ellison, of Jeannette.

In addition, the following partners were recognized for their commitment to, and support of, the mission and goals of the Private Industry Council: The Greensburg-Hempfield Area Library, the Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Investment Board, Albert-Gallatin School District, Argon ST, and the Triangle Tech Group. Through the years the Private Industry Council and the Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Investment Board have collaborated on initiatives responsive to the needs of the community by building and enhancing the career development and workforce training system and promoting effective education and training for family-sustaining jobs for the people of Westmoreland and Fayette Counties. Together, the two agencies have operated programs that have helped tens of thousands of people obtain self sufficiency in southwestern Pennsylvania. The Albert Gallatin School District has been actively involved with the Private Industry Council on several important initiatives and has proven to be a strong advocate for early childhood education and in taking the next steps towards successful transition into the educational system. Argon ST, located in Smithfield, is a Department of Defense contractor that designs, develops, and produces systems and sensors for the Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Combat Systems, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance markets. The generosity and commitment of Argon ST to the continued success of Private Industry Council's programs and services is impacting the future workforce.

The Private Industry Council has been operating employment, education, and training programs in Westmoreland and Fayette Counties since 1983, and currently operates over 24 programs through an organizational structure of three divisions - Early Childhood Development, Education, and Workforce Development. The mission of the Private Industry Council is "to educate, encourage, and empower family and individual development and to create career enhancement opportunities through training and workforce development, which will perpetuate and improve the quality of life in southwestern Pennsylvania". Through its commitment to educate, encourage, and empower families and children, the Private Industry Council plays an important role by providing much needed services to the people of Westmoreland and Fayette counties, and more recently, throughout the region.

The Private Industry Council currently:

• Educates over 900 Fayette County children and families per year through Head Start, Early Head Start, PA Pre-K Counts, and PA Head Start State Supplemental Assistance.



• Provides services in job search assistance, labor market information, job listings, and job marketing.



• Offers services in job training, job placement, assessments, and career counseling.



• Operates a Welfare-to-Work program serving over 1,100 individuals annually.



• Offers seven Adult Education programs in six locations throughout Westmoreland and Fayette Counties, serving over 800 students annually.



• Has the largest number of GED testing sites (9) and is the second largest center in Pennsylvania, testing over 1,000 examinees annually with a 65% passing rate.



• Operates both in-school and out-of-school youth programs.



• Provides training and educational programs through its licensed and ACICS-accredited school, the Education and Technology Institute (ETI).



• Administers a government procurement assistance program that provides support in all phases of government contracting processes. PIC's Procurement Technical Assistance Program has counseled 1,460 area firms since 1986 resulting in awards totaling $620 million.

For more information about the Private Industry Council please call 724-836-2600 or visit www.privateindustrycouncil.com