JHA Employment, Training Program Celebrates Brand-new Graduates
The Johnstown Housing Authority’s Employment and Training Program commemorated eight graduates of the program’s 2nd associate who entered a brand-new phase of life Friday.
The ceremony at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College in Richland Township marked a clean slate for the graduates, who are set to seek further education or employment in the Johnstown location, said JHA Executive Director Mike Alberts.
For the past four months, those enrolled in the program finished courses provided by a collaboration among Penn Highlands, Johnstown Area Regional Industries and PA CareerLink.
The program included courses offered at Johnstown public housing community spaces to eliminate participants’ transport barriers.
The curriculum consisted of dispute management, task search and interview skills, Microsoft Word and Excel, and life skills management, along with school trip for a robotics bootcamp and tours of technology-based production business consisting of Kitron and Compass Systems.
The event Friday celebrated the 8 graduates of the program while acknowledging lots more who registered, but pulled out after finding employment or other additional education chances along the method.
PHOTO GALLERY|Johnstown Housing Authority Employment & Training Graduation
Bernice Sanders (best), of the Coopersdale area of Johnstown, celebrates after getting her Certificate of Completion throughout the Johnstown Housing Authority Employment & Training Program graduation event at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College in Richland Township on Friday, January 31, 2025.
Jeanne Vandergrift (front), of the Dale section of Johnstown, commemorates with graduates after receiving her Certificate of Completion throughout the Johnstown Housing Authority Employment & Training Program graduation event at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College in Richland Township on Friday, January 31, 2025.
RJ Montague (best), of Johnstown, shakes hands with Johnstown Housing Authority (JHA) Executive Director Mike Alberts (center) while receiving their Certificate of Completion throughout the JHA Employment & Training Program graduation event at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College in Richland Township on Friday, January 31, 2025. Looking on, from left to right, is Pennsylvania Highlands Community College President Steve Nunez and JARI President and CEO Linda Thomson.
Marie Bradford, of the Oakhurst area of Johnstown, commemorates during the Johnstown Housing Authority Employment & Training Program graduation event at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College in Richland Township on Friday, January 31, 2025.
Dellia Gonzalez, of the Oakhurst area of Johnstown, with her daughter Dakota Marong, 3, praises the graduates during the Johnstown Housing Authority Employment & Training Program graduation event at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College in Richland Township on Friday, January 31, https://sowjobs.com/ 2025.
JARI Workforce Development Director Dave Grimaldi praises the participants completing the Johnstown Housing Authority Employment & Training Program during a graduation event at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College in Richland Township on Friday, January 31, 2025.
By Thomas Slusser
tslusser@tribdem.com!.?.! JARI Director of Workforce Development Dave Grimaldi stated members of the program’s second cohort have advanced to further education at Penn Highlands or other area schools for accreditation in fields including HVAC, emergency situation medication and cybersecurity. The program is provided at no charge to participants and graduated its first mate in June. After Friday’s graduation, two more mates are arranged, Grimaldi stated. The program was initiated by former JARI Workforce Development Director Debra Balog and
PA CareerLink Cambria County website administrator Jeff Dick. »This was one of the finest concepts we’ve had for discovering quality employees for companies in the area, »Balog stated. »We came up with the concept of working with our public housing units due to the fact that lots of individuals had transport and child care barriers that kept them from accessing resources outside of Johnstown’s public housing. » U.S. Department of Housing and https://empleosrapidos.com Urban Development Pittsburgh Field Office Director Michael Horvath said the program has actually helped individuals »
lift themselves up and get them linked. « He praised the graduates and the partners who made the program possible. The program has earned HUD recognition as a finest practice, an acknowledgment provided to one authority annually for especially bettering the lives of its locals, Alberts said. The graduates got certificates and a standing ovation from household and good friends in presence, in addition to Cambria County Commissioner Thomas Chernisky, Cambria Regional Chamber of Commerce President Amy Bradley and [empty] agents from U.S. Sen. John Fetterman’s office. Fetterman, D-Pa., and [Redirect-302] former U.S. Sen. Bob Casey were crucial in promoting the program, JARI President Linda Thomson said.
